A Heart Dressed in Wicked
by EtienneTombe
Summary: EnvyxOC A few of the original sins and possibly some newbies are brought back from the Gate and select a new leader who gives them a purpose, what happens to said plan when something else creeps its way into a certain black heart? Story better then Summary?
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from FMA or from the creators of it.**

**A Heart Dressed in Wicked  
**

**Prologue**

* * *

Those terrible deep lavender eyes captured my soul the very first time they connected with my own eyes. They flashed in an ungodly and surreal way and I knew from then on the life I had previously was gone. I would never return to it. Something inside me clicked on then, in-tuning me to its voice, a hushed tone that said ,

'_Fight or flight. . . . fight or flight. . . fight or flight. . . . . . fight or flight . . . .'_

The tone was so quiet though, barely audible, as if it was a terrible sin and very forbidden. I knew that either of these choices would end disastrously, so I chose the more logic of the two for now. I stared straight into his eyes, this devious murderer. It made me feel brave although soon any traces of feelings would be gone along with my sanity.

There in his eyes though, beneath all the evil and immorality and vengeance I saw a small light. A seed of sorts. A small seedling that only needed to be watered and bathed with sunlight to grow. A suddenly thought raced through my mind.

'_You love him.'_

My heart beat erratically and my breathing increased becoming raspy. My blood levels rose and I felt my body pulsing and I wondering faintly if my body was killing itself. Yet I couldn't not break free from the gaze of this beautiful monster in front of me. In fact I couldn't do it at all, he had to. A small breeze, chilly from the beginning winter air, brushed past and moved his deep black locks about his face much like a funeral veil. It made such a deep contrast against his pale deathly white skin that when he turned to the female, to that horridly seductive demoness he came with, that one could see how pallid and thin his skin appeared.

Love this monster? How could my body, my mind, my heart and soul . . .whatever it was that did, how could it do this to me? To the memory of my life, of my sisters and family. To the love we had and the life we shared and love and lives we would have had later.

What cruel sadistic world was this?

I blinked and upon reopening my eyes I found myself on the partially frozen ground, looking out towards the two Dark Angels. The female was talking, his face was towards her so I couldn't see if he talked as well. It was almost as if I were deaf, the only things I could hear was my too fast beating heart and the rough thrusts of air that tried to go in and out of my lungs. I couldn't move, what was wrong with my body now?

I looked back to them, noticed his attention on me, I finally was able to reach out, my fingers slowly moving along the dirt only for him to scoff and kick dirt on my body. His androgynous mouth moved with words but they fell upon deaf ears, I still was unable to hear.

This was the terrible stricken creature I was in love with, this killer, hellish fiend whom brutally massacred my sister her child and husband and done away with my other to God knows where. I wanted to panic, i wanted to get up and run, but i couldn't. I felt ashamed of myself. The world went dark and my last thoughts were grief stricken. The only thing my heart could think was of that seed hidden in his eyes . . .

* * *

**First FMA fic, I'm known for writing long chapters however. I LOVE and ADORE reviews and alerts 3 especially critiques. I'm also working on another fic, so I'll be alternating between them. Hope to see people liking this one too.**


	2. A Light in the Distance

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from FMA or from the creators of it.**

**A Heart Dressed in Wicked**

**Chapter 1.) A light in the distance.  
**

* * *

The summer sun was shining brightly through the windows of the two room schoolhouse. The atmosphere was a very pleasant one, in fact, children were playing at mid day break and Darla or, 'Teacher' as most of her students called her, was having a lovely chat with her two 'baby' sisters.

"At his age? He doesn't have a job and barely a house, hardly husband material. . . " Darla said with her nose in the air.

"Just because he doesn't have a job right now doesn't mean he can't acquire one. Besides you shouldn't be picky Darla!" The middle sister replied, Lidia was her name. Medea, the 'baby' shook her head as Darla looked hurt, her mouth hanging open.

"Come on Darla .. .I didn't mean it in a bad way. . ." She raised her arms to show she was sincere but no prevail, her oldest sister was angry.

Medea watched her two sisters, Darla the eldest who would be 29 this year. She was the motherly one, her wispy mouse blond hair was always tied back, her back always straight and posture proper, she had a 'farmers tan' and rather wide shoulders, a pear shaped figure. Her eyes were sweet baby blues that made her round face a gentle one. She was nearly always seen in light cheery colors like yellows and white and soft blues, normally work clothes too. She loved children and animals and loved to work and help out.

Lidia was the middle child who recently had her 21st birthday. She was the 'looker' between the girls according to Darla. She had curly blond hair that reached about her shoulders and bright 'love me' blue eyes. Her complexion was a perfect golden tan, but not from work, from laying about all summer. She had a slim and gorgeous figure that made all the men around town drool for her. Her extremely pretty features made her look the most like their mother had. She always wore skimpy outfits, things that showed off her figure and cleavage. She loved men and being pampered.

Medea looked at the small mirror that stood above the just as small wash bin by the door. Medea the Baby. She looked the least like their mother. Her hair was thick and straight, so dark a red it was almost black and it rested just above her hips. Her skin was very pale, so fair that she could only burn. She still had her babyish features, she was only 15 and a 'late bloomer' her sisters word. She was stick thin and hardly any curves at all. Her eyes always caught the strangers attention though. A hazel so bright they looked gold. She definitely looked the bastard child she was. As far as loving things, she loved her sisters . . .she wasn't sure about anything else. Ever since her mother and father had been . . .gone she really didn't think much on loving.

She looked back to her now quarreling sisters and sighed. Darla looked to her and smiled at her. Lidia looked then and grinned.

"Well at least you won't have to worry about Medea leaving you for a man. Most men around here don't approve of a dumb1 girl if she can't at least cook. Good thing she can clean I suppose-"

A loud smack was heard in the school house as Medea watched with emotionless eyes at her sisters. Darla red faced with her hand still held in the air,

"I want you out of this school and back home Lidia. Go, make sure you can at least _clean_ the kitchen and try to set out the plates for dinner." Medea watched as Lidia stormed out, her high heels clonking on the wooden floors. Darla ran a hand over her face before walking over to Medea who was picking at the flowers on her desk.

"I'm sorry Medea. She doesn't mean to treat you like that, her mouth just acts before her mind can catch up. I know you aren't dumb, I know you have a lovely voice. I know you are a very smart girl." She pulled Medea in for a hug, she rubbed her back before slowly pulling away.

"We both love you very much, you know that right?" She held her at arms length looking her in her golden eyes. She honestly hadn't cared . . .it was just a joke, she had been kidding around. None the less she nodded to her older sister.

Darla smiled and with a nod she clasped her hands together,

"I know you like to ring the bell, it's about time for those rascals to come back in for their last bit of lessons." She winked at her as Medea went to the brass bell that hung on the back door to the school house. She rung it till all the children were running back up to the house ready to learn a little more before heading home for chores and supper.

* * *

The three of them sat at the round wooden table in their relatively small kitchen eating a very quiet dinner. Medea chewed her green-beans slowly, looking at the chicken bits that Darla had cut up for her in little bites like she might for a tiny child. She pushed her fork around the bits pretending they were little sheep and the green-bean that was on the end of her fork was a wolf. She set it down and took one of the skins off a piece of chicken, eating the chicken then placing the skin over the green bean. She then moved it around like it was a sheep . . .the sheep thought it was one of them apparently.

She grinned suddenly and made a loud bleating noise as her 'wolf' 'bit' into one of the sheep and she tossed it into her mouth.

She just happened to look up to see her sisters staring at her with almost horror filled eyes. She swallowed the chicken and looked down at her plate, eating the rest of the food with out the play. Darla started to laugh loudly, having to put her fork down and Lidia could only roll her eyes.

"Some imagination Baby Medea has." Darla said to herself and resuming her dinner. Their dinner was rather quiet after that.

* * *

Medea shivered in her tub of water that was close to freezing. The bubbles were gone and her knees were clutched to her chest. Darla stood with her hands on her hips.

"If you hadn't been outside doing that . . .what ever it was you were doing . . .for so long your water would have been a lot warmer." Lidia griped at her from behind Darla.

"The plants need to be talked to too, you can't just give them water and expect them to do ok . .. they get bored too you know." Her voice was very light and a little airy. Both the sisters looked at her.

"You mean, all those times I heard you singing out by the plants . . . you were singing to them? You were singing to the plants?" Darla asked, a skeptical tone in her voice, Lidia frowned, her eyes showing more anger and disbelief than Medea would have liked.

She answered with a nod, sinking down into the tub. Lidia rolled her eyes , leaving but with out a small remark.

"Crazy before she even has a bush . . ." Medea gasped and flushed really red.

"Lidia! Out!" She was gone though.

Darla turned back to her,

"Don't worry about her, you are just a late bloomer, remember? Plus who wants to grow up too fast." She didn't reply to her, only let her help her with the soap and washing her hair. She really did treat her like a baby. She wondered how long she would keep treating her like this. Forever? God she hoped not.

* * *

Medea snuggled up next to Darla, they shared a bed since she couldn't sleep with Mother anymore, she even had her own bed, but she couldn't sleep by herself. She thought that maybe Lidia was jealous that Darla doted on her all the time when it used to be Lidia who was the baby. Lidia wasn't really nice, but she knew she loved her. It was ok she thought.

Her gray night gown was an over sized shirt and she curled up in it under the covers. She couldn't sleep at all though. It was like her skin wanted her to get up and jump around or it might leave her behind. She gave a sigh and leaned over to see if Darla was asleep. Her eyes were closed, so she listened to her breathing. It was soft and shallow, slow, relaxed. She was asleep.

She slowly climbed out of the bed and carefully padded towards the door, trying her best to open it quietly but in vain. The hinges squeaked and she paused to listen, she couldn't detect any one awake though. She got all the way to the back door which was located in the kitchen when she heard someone clear their throat.

She almost jumped, her hands flying to her mouth. She looked towards the table where the sound had come from. It was Lidia, smoking.

"And just _where_ do you think you are going at this _hour_?" Her voice a lot snootier then normal she made Medea rather nervous.

"U-um . . . "

"Well spit it out!"

"The garden . . . " Lidia snickered. Was she drunk?

"To . . .chat with your leafy friends?" That made her a little mad, but instead of denying anything, she agreed.

"So pathetic, it must be your bad blood. Clearly not any of the Richeiv blood runs through your veins anymore."

That comment hurt, it bit her heart and clawed at her soul.

"Mommy loved me too!" Lidia stood up. Her hand on the table.

"Oh I know she did, she loved her little bastard child more then her legit ones! I'm so sick of you! So sick of how everything is handed to you, how Darla dotes and pampers you like you are just the whole damn world!" Medea backed up into the door as Lidia yelled, nearly screaming . She was drunk, she could see that now. It didn't matter though, the things she said, they hurt.

"You will regret these things you say to me. You will regret them, I swear it to you. Lidia, you have no idea how my life is. You see the outside and you assume! You are the real dumb one! You can speak and you can act and dress how ever you wish, but its not the truth, its all a lie." Lidia had hateful tears in her eyes, her makeup from the day smearing. Medea barely noticed Darla at the other doorway, baffled at this fight. Whether it was the content or the fact that Medea was standing up for herself.

"The truth is you are a fake person! You are FAKE!"

She opened the back door and ran through the garden, she ran as hard as she could, through the back yards of other peoples and through fields of crops and fields of sheep. She ran clear to the other side of Risembool , ran until she couldn't anymore. She plopped down next to the river bank that bordered it, the soft pebbles massaging her legs.

She sat there and cried, cried and wept and cried some more. She picked up some rocks and threw them into the river, the sounds relaxing to her. She laid down, glad it was a summer night so it wasn't too chilly out. She sniffled a few times and wiped her nose rather childishly on her gray baggy sleeve.

She was about to nod off when she heard footsteps through the pebbles, she thought it might have been Darla, the least person would have been Lidia of course. She didn't move, only sighed and sniffled again.

"Hey, you ok?" It wasn't Darla that was for sure. It was a man, his tone utterly gentle and sweet towards her. She moved a little more to look up at him, surprised to see a stranger.

She shrugged to assume the I-don't-know term. He sat down next to her, slowly so as to not alarm her. She sat up a little, her dark hair mostly in her face, some of it plastered to it from her tears. He sighed, reaching over to pull some of it out of her face. She was rather shocked, although she didn't show it. She looked at him in the eyes, and her heart leaped.

"We have the same eyes!" She whispered excitedly. He put a hand to her chin and lifted her face up more, the moon light catching hers.

"You are right, hazel isn't a common color around here either." She almost smiled, the corners of her mouth twitching. He chuckled.

"Yeah smile, its good for pretty girls to smile." She blushed a little and looked down, a small grin finding its way. She didn't notice boys yet, but she could tell that he was a handsome young man. His blond hair was rather long and framed his face perfectly. He was built nicely and his voice was rich.

"I'm Edward Elric by the way. What's your name?" He was so sweet to her . . .

She swallowed before saying shyly,

"I'm Medea . . .Richeiv ." She looked back up to him, he was watching her, smiling.

"Have you lived here long?" She looked out at the river.

"Most my life." He nodded.

"Me too." She looked to him, she hadn't ever seen him before though . . .

"I know what you are thinking . . .a stranger in Risembool?" He placed a hand behind his head and laughed.

"Trust me, I'm a native to Risembool." He pulled on a bit of her hair playfully.

He suddenly looked around, realization coming to his face.

"Hey, whats a girl your age doing out in the middle of the night crying anyways?" His face was so serious suddenly.

"Did someone hurt you?I'll kick their as-" Someone shouted for 'Ed' and it stopped him mid rant.

She was a little flustered at how caring he seemed. A little flattered too. He stood up and held his hand out to help her up too. It was so polite of him . . .most people ignored her.

Another young man came trotting up and she could have sworn they were twins. However this other one was slightly taller and his hair was a little more brown, his eyes too.

"Brother! Winry woke up. . . ." He said that simple phrase as if that explained everything. She saw Edward's eyes go very round and he cringed.

"Ugh . .damn woman never leaves me be . . " The other man, assuming his brother nodded. He looked at Medea, his eyes were kind and gentle. Another small difference between the two. Edwards were kind, but gentle was not one. His face shown he had worked himself hard over the years despite how young he appeared, as if his life had not been so smooth.

"Ah! Alphonse, I met a new friend. This is Medea." She was about to nod but was a little surprised when Edward grabbed her hand much like one would do with a lady,

"Medea, this is my _younger _brother, Alphonse." She looked to him, it was sweet how he put the emphasis on younger.

"Ah, but you can call me Al, Miss Medea. Pleasure to meet you." He smiled kindly at her, and she couldn't help but blush. They were treating her so nice. She felt bad when she thought that perhaps this was all a joke however.

"It's a little late to be out here alone isn't it Miss?" Wow, so caring. . .

"Oh. . . uh." She looked towards the direction she came from.

"I may head back home soon." Edward grinned.

"May?" He chuckled. He put his fists on his hips and gave a mischievous look.

"You can come with us, It's late but maybe you'd like to meet Winry. It's good for girls to know each other. . .right Al?" He nodded smiling.

"Also if you are upset, I'm sure Winry can help there too. She has many talents. . . " Both men snickered but she was completely confused.

She nodded yes none the less.

"S-sure. . . " Edward beamed towards her, he looked rather happy, in fact, he placed her small pale hand on his arm like an escort as the walked towards what she supposed was his home.

She was surprised yet again to see a house just off in the distance, a house she hadn't known was there, it had a light shining in one of the second story windows. Was that Winry? Signaling them home? That was nice of her. Was she a sister? Or a wife or something? So many questions about these strangers that weren't. . . .


	3. Home Away from Home Part 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from FMA or from the creators of it.**

**A Heart Dressed in Wicked**

**Chapter 2.) Home Away from Home Part 1  
**

* * *

They didn't have to walk too far from the river which surprised Medea a little. They were there at the house with the light shining and occasionally blinking up in that second level window clear up until they were on the porch where she couldn't see it any more due to the angle. Neither of the boys knocked which led her to believe they really did live there and they walked right in. She noticed that Al was barefoot as well but Ed did not take off his boots.

Upon entering the house it wasn't darkened for slumber at all. She wondered what time it was and if her sisters went to bed, or if they were looking for her. She bet on the first. Maybe Darla for the second.

"You know that I always worry when you disappear in the middle of the night Ed!" A rather shrill but very girlish voice sounded somewhere by what she thought looked like a kitchen. She was right about the voice, as a woman was suddenly blocking the way. Al took Medea's arm as Ed backed up a little his hands out as if to warn he was being good.

"Hey . . I was just taking a stroll . . .its a nice night and I was having trouble sleeping that's all. . ." He said with a sheepish smile on his face. Medea noticed for the first time a band on his left hand. . . an engagement ring? She looked to the woman, a tall and very beautiful blond woman. She had an engagement ring too. She looked up to notice this woman, who she figured probably was 'Winry' was staring at her.

Medea curled into herself biting her bottom lip and looking to the floor. She felt a strong arm around her shoulders, Al having let go mumbling something. But this arm didn't belong to Al, it was Edward.

"Hey, she has a mean glance, she doesn't mean anything by it. You know how if you look like a pissy ole woman all day it stays all night? Good thing you look as sweet as can be." He whispered in her ear with a grin. He then turned to Winry.

"Be nice to our guest Winry. I found her upset by the river." He hadn't said crying and she was glad. Had it been someone else they would have told of that and probably exaggerated other stuff. She couldn't help but think he was warm, nor lean into him a little. She suddenly gave a long yawn before blushing looking around. Al wasn't there, but she looked up to Edward who had a silly grin on his face. She peeked a glance at Winry who had the strangest look ever.

She walked closer,

"Guess you would be tired yeah?" Edward's rich voice tone sounded nothing more then what she thought a brother or a father might sound like. It made her almost blush again.

"Do you live here in Risembool?" Medea nodded to Winry's question. She hadn't realized that she had moved so that her hand was on Edward's chest, that she only came up to his collar bone and barely there.

"My sister is Darla Richeiv-" Winry cut her off with a gasp.

"Oh! That nice woman who made the school house up over the hill! Darla is a sweet woman." She nodded, but then just as quickly she frowned , her eyes flickering towards Edward.

"Oh . . . that means you are also related to that . . .Lidia too." Her voice and face were flat, clearly not happy with Lidia. Medea gulped, looking up at Edward who had a 'whoops' look.

"I'm not anything like her." She had meant it to stay in her head, but Edward had heard her, and hugged her.

"I know, I can definitely tell. You are too quiet and sweet. Bet she is really jealous from all the attention you get though?" What was he talking about? Winry smirked but rolled her eyes.

"I think she is a little too young for boys to be chasing her Ed." Medea blushed.

"Why not? Boys were chasing you around that age." He grinned to her.

"You and Al don't count' Her voice flat again. He laughed with her.

Winry looked back to Medea, she bent over a little, placing her hands right above her knees.

"Want some tea?" Medea nodded politely, and Winry smiled with a nod before heading into the kitchen. Edward let go of her but escorted as a gentleman would. She looked around for Al but she didn't see him.

Edward set her directly beside him as Winry brought over a pot and some pretty little tea cups. Medea's eyes lit up at the sight of them, they were just gorgeous. So intricately designed, each telling their own tales.

"I got these from a friend who lives in Xing. Can't have too many nice things when you live with a bunch of rascal boys though so I only have a few cups left." She put her hands on her hips and death glared Ed who chuckled. Medea could smell the tea, it was really relaxing. Edward showed her how to hold it between her fingers and to blow lightly across the surface to cool it. She took a sip and thought she would moan, closing her eyes to better taste it.

"It's really really good. . " She breathed out, trying not to gulp it all down. Winry laughed sweetly and Edward nodded.

The three of them talked for a bit, asking Medea questions, getting her to talk through coaxing. She already liked it here with them.

She found out that Winry and Ed weren't engaged but in fact were married with two children, a third on the way. Their eldest son at 5 years now, Heiderich, was going the the school that Darla taught and started. Their daughter Noah who was age 4 would be attending next year, she was really excited too. Winry was the Automail mechanic she had heard so much about, Rockbell Automail.

Apparently Al had excused himself before, but she hadn't heard him and had gone to bed. She looked over to Edward who had been looking down at his half full tea cup. It was like he wasn't there, he was so deep in thought he just flew away. A stricken look suddenly came over his face, and the hand that had been resting on the table had clenched tight. She reached over, placing her tiny pale hand over it to calm him, or to let him know she was there. She wasn't sure why really, just that it had been an instinct to do so.

He immediately looked to her, the saddest look in his eyes capturing her. It quickly faded when the clock in the foyer chimed however.

"My goodness Medea! It's midnight, won't your family be worried?" She looked to Winry, who was smiling rather big at her. She didn't look at Edward as he stood up to take his jacket off. She hadn't really noticed that he wore a day uniform . . .she had been so caught up in her new friends .

"Oh . . .I doubt it. . . " She heard his coat be set on the table, his boot step rather heavily on the wood floor. She looked at him, he wore now only a dark blue shirt with cut off sleeves. She saw a very large and very noticeable scar up by the dip in his neck. She looked to his eyes, which held a bit of anger in them.

"It's Lidia isn't it?" She tried not to look too guilty, he obviously knew her better then she thought. She nodded though. She heard Winry scoff.

"She can stay the night, we have plenty of room. . ." This was Edward, telling Winry. Medea looked up, shocked.

"Don't you think you are being a little too kind?" Edward's eyes took on that old worn look again.

"One can never been too kind as long as they receive the same kindness back." She blinked. It made sense . . .dish out only what you want back . . .being equal. He was treating her as an equal. . . not a baby. She tried not to cry, she really had. . . but the tears just leaked out.

"S-sorry." She stood up turning away to try and rub the tears away. She felt strong arms around her shoulders rubbing them, and she saw Winry bring her a handkerchief. She helped dry her face, Edward telling her it was alright.

"I'm sorry, it's just . . . it's nice to be treated like this . . .and not some dumb baby." She sniffled, Winry pulled her in for a very motherly hug. She appreciated it too, being treated as an equal. She loved it even though this was only a small taste.

Winry looked over at Edward, Medea didn't catch the look in her eyes. Nor the look in Ed's.

"You can definitely stay here sweety. Edward or Al will walk you home in the morning too. " She smiled nicely at her, hoping that would comfort her. She nodded in agreement, sniffled once more.

Winry helped her up the stairs, Medea being so tired she could only stumble around. She was used to being asleep very early. She thought that maybe the run had also done her in too, her chest had begun to hurt from her breathing so hard not to mention her sides had ached and the muscles in her legs . She wasn't a very fit person, all bones no muscles.

Winry opened a door that was right in the middle of two other doors in the hallway.

"The furthest one is the kid's rooms, Al sleeps there when he visits. This is Ed's and mine, we have a pull out that you can use." She said sweetly. Medea was so grateful to them. Going inside, Edward leaned against the door frame. He had a small kindly smile on his face.

Medea helped Winry pull out a small pad like mattress into the floor, and Winry got a light blanket and a pillow for her. She couldn't believe that she was trusting such strangers. . .she just knew that she _could_ trust them. She felt almost guilty about it though, she felt it was an entirely new trust between them and the kind she had with her sisters whom she had known her whole life.

She settled down on the mattress and Winry placed the blanket over her. She smiled and gave a small pat beside her.

"Sleep well, we will probably come in a little later." She got up and passed Edward on the way out whom was watching. He came in and sat down beside her, legs crossed. She thought something was a little off though, when he had sat something heavy had made a clunk sound, and it hadn't been his boots.

She turned over on her side to look at him a little better.

"Do you have many friends around here?" That was an odd question . . .

She shook her head no. She was going to tell him the plants, but decided against it. He turned to look out the window that was on the wall a few feet away from her head.

"Al and I were the same back when we were younger." He had a small smile from the memories.

"So do you just live with your two sisters? What about parents? I told you I was native here, but I tend to travel a lot." He grinned again as if telling her this was what made up for not hearing the small town rumors.

She looked at his boots, wondering about the places he had seen.

"Just Darla and Lidia. I have no parents." She tried to be as polite as she could, and hoped it was as it was meant. He nodded, as if he knew exactly what she meant. Maybe he did? She looked into his eyes, those golden hazel eyes that were so much like her own. Her hair was dark, her sisters hair was light.

"Did you know your mother, Medea?" His look was rather serious on this question, she wondered why it would matter.

"Yes, Marie." She closed her eyes, '_Please don't ask about my father. . . '_

"Medea." She slowly opened her eyes.

"Did you know your biological father?"

Her head turned to look at him, she sat up.

"No." His eyes squinted in thought.

"I saw him once. " Edward leaned forward to hear her better.

"My sister's father found him in the bedroom with my mother. He shot them."

Edward's eyes dilated for a second, his hands clenching.

"Your mother too?"

"Yes. She didn't die, but he did."

"You're father?" She nodded yes. His hand reached out, grabbing her wrist and forcing her to look at him. His hand was warm.

"I won't force anymore from you. But if you want to tell me. It's fine." She nodded, and he pulled her forward, hugging her tiny frame.

"I feel like you will be a very important person in my life soon. I know that sounds weird but I just have that . . intuition, like a hunch." He whispered it to her. She knew what he meant, it was that trust thing she had with them. She trusted them more then she did her immediate family.

"I understand." She yawned out. He patted her back like a father might his daughter and settled her back. She snuggled into the covers, watching him stand up and head for the door.

Right before turning the corner, he stopped and looked back at her,

"Sleep well Medea." She did too. She dreamed of pleasant things for the first time in years. She slept peacefully and had a very restful night with out so much another thought on her sisters.

* * *

**the second chapter out : O**

**Envy is coming up soon, just remember that the prologue was in the beginning of the winter and that she is at the ending of summer. : D  
**


	4. What is Found Can Be Lost

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from FMA or from the creators of it.**

**A Heart Dressed in Wicked  
**

**Chapter 3.) What is Found Can Be Lost  
**

* * *

Despite her late start to bed she woke up right before the rise of the sun. She stretched out giving a wakening yawn before slowly looking over towards the bed where she saw Winry sleeping. She sat up rubbing her eyes and running a pale hand through her messy dark locks. She got up, folding the blanket and the mattress up and stacking the blanket and pillow on top of it out of the way. She slowly and as quietly as she could walked out of the room and down the stairs where she passed the kitchen.

She peeked in and saw Al and Ed at the table drinking what smelled like coffee.

"Good Morning Medea." Alphonse said in a rather cheery tone. She smiled, and Edward looked at her.

"You should smile more often, it really suits your face." He grinned before winking at her. She blushed before coming in slowly sitting at the table. Edward stood up as Al was about to, he motioned for him to sit back down however. Sitting his mug of black coffee down,

"What would you like for breakfast? Kid's aren't up yet, Winry probably won't be up for a while either." He laughed.

She shook her head no.

"I'll just go home, you don't need to bother with that." Her small breathy voice answered politely. Al waved to his brother.

"I'll get the eggs and bacon out." They grinned at each other.

"You look like you need to eat more anyways Medea, you are skinny as a stick, girl." She gave him a flat look with a blush and he tried to laugh quietly. Al threw a few eggs at Ed who miraculously caught them. They had huge grins on their faces and one could tell they were enjoying themselves.

Medea loved the smell of eggs and bacon cooking in the morning. Her train of thought was stopped when she saw a small midget Al look a like slowly come into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes.

"Rich! Up so early little guy?" So that was Heinerich? He was so adorable . . .

Edward had Al watch over the eggs and bacon as he walked over to his small son and swoop him up into the air.

"Sleep ok?" Heinerich nodded.

"Sissy snores . . . " Edward laughed.

"Mommy too." They both grinned, and you could immediately tell it was his son. He then looked towards Medea, his eyes going round.  
He leaned into his father and whispered something to him, his face all red. Ed laughed and set his son down.

"Go ask her yourself." He chuckled and elbowed Al to get his attention.

The little boy climbed up on the chair beside Medea and sat there, watching her with his huge hazel eyes. She put her her hands in her lap and watched him back. She looked over at Ed and Al whom were watching with grins.

"Yoo a Pwetty Wady. . ." She felt shivers go through her as the baby like voice said it so solemnly, his face so sincere. She looked back to Heinerich as the men started to laugh.

He leaned over and tugged on her sleeve for attention. She looked at him, she barely saw Winry shuffling towards them at the table.

"Imma maywy yoo!" His eyes full of determination. The two men burst out into laughter and Medea looked up to Winry with fear and surprise in her eyes. Winry had her hand over her mouth, and tears in her eyes. Tears from holding in her laughter.

She felt a pull on her sleeve again and she looked back to Heinerich.

"Yoo hafta say yes back!" She gulped, looking to the adults for help.

She looked back to him.

"You remember you are . .. 5 right?" His eyebrows came down in determination.

"Come on, say yes!" He grinned, certain she would.

"I want da pwettiest wife in town!" He laughed and waited. She would feel bad if she told him no. . .

"Why don't you ask me when you are older? Just so you know for sure." He frowned and shook his head no.

"No way!" She sighed, looking to the adults again. They were holding their sides trying not to be loud and ruin the moment.

"What about when I'm older?" She watched his expression, which became confused quickly. He seemed to ponder it and roll it over in his mind.

"Ok." He smiled and she let out a sigh. She turned back to him.

"Make sure you remember though, ok?" He nodded determined. She looked over to the adults with a smug look on her face. Not dumb after all. Edward was smiling rather sweetly at her, he had a proud look in his eyes, she wasn't sure for whom, his son or her. Winry was chuckling, she had taken over the cooking while Al was making some toast.

Ed sat down at the table, he was still wearing a grin as wide as can be.

"That makes you basically family now." He laughed, his hand running through his long blond hair. She blushed bright red.

"Have to say I knew it the moment I saw you. It's just so weird. It's like. . .I _know _you are someone really important.. ." Winry turned around, a serious look on her face.

"I know what you mean. I had strange dreams last night. I think you should definitely walk her home when she is ready Ed." He nodded in agreement. Medea felt that there was something going on that went passed them thinking she was important. She wondered what all of this meant, wondered how it would effect her.

* * *

The breakfast had been lovely, and she had thanked Winry, Al and Ed for their hospitality. Al was going to go with Ed to walk her home but Noah had a fever and stayed behind to help Winry with her. Heinerich came however, and to her utmost patience, he clung to her hand like a life line.

They walked on a path that Ed said would take them straight into the middle of town, she wondered why she had never seen this before then. . .

Heinerich marched in front of her, still gripping her hand when they came into town. She looked up at Ed who was chuckling, he nodded towards Rich, and upon looking back to him she noticed he glared at anyone passing by that might be looking at them. She gave a smile and shook her head. He acted like he had to fend off an army of jealous men. Silly kid.

She saw her house just a few yards away and she sighed. The one story house made of wood that had come from the trees just on the east side of Risembool. Her 'father' had made the house before he had married Marie, they had gotten married, she gave birth to Darla and then years later Lidia, then another span of years and finally Medea. All three of the girls had grown up in that house. They had been born in it too.

They made it up the walk until Medea saw Lidia sitting in a wooden chair up on the porch by the door. She set a glass down on a small table next to her, a bottle of what looked like whiskey there as well.

"Well well . . .if it isn't Mr. Elric at my front door . . ." She had a lazy drunken grin on her face as she stood up slowly, swaying a little. Edward had a deeply concerned look as Medea turned her head in embarrassment. Lidia turned to her.

"Medea, you are welcome to come visit any time. Sound good?" She looked at him with sincerity, she nodded.

"Oh? _That's_ where you were all night long?" She came down off the porch, her face growing a little red. Medea pushed Rich towards Ed as she took a few steps back, fear in her eyes as her sister stomped towards her. Lidia's hand came whooshing by as she hit the frail Medea as hard as she could right across the face.

Medea let out a scream as she almost toppled to the ground from the force. Lidia's hand reeled back to hit her again but she was stopped by Edward, who held her arms behind her back.

"Let go of me Edward! I can't believe you'd turn down a gorgeous grown woman but screw around with some dinky ugly child!" Medea was holding her face while blubbering but she could still see the sudden rage that flew into his face. First his eyes and then the rest, bleeding out into his muscles which became stiff.

Lidia gave a small cry as she tried to get away but he held her tighter.

"Medea, go inside get dressed and get what you need for a few days, write a note for Darla if you want. You are staying with Winry and I for a while." His voice was grated out, he was furious. Rich clung to Medea with a grip she didn't know a child could have, he trembled too. She nodded and went inside, Rich right with her.

Once inside she ran to the far back bedroom, she barely noticed that the bed was unmade, the first time she thought that she had ever seen it as such and sniffled. Had Darla worried after all? She cleared her mind, back to task.

She let go of Rich's hand and went to the closet and grabbed a pack out of a self made wooden box before throwing a few of her dresses in and a few slips. She ran into the master bathroom and grabbed her comb and toothbrush throwing them in and then remembering her underwear. Upon getting them she looked to Rich, his baby face worried, his eyes round and wondering.

"You ok?" He nodded.

"Yoo?" She nodded back, her face hurt so bad though, moving it made it throb and she sniffled. They walked by Lidia's room and she couldn't help but feel snoopy. . .she had never been into her room before. She made Rich stay out in the hall with her bag and she slowly crept in. She looked around noticing it was very similar to Darla's room. A bed and a dresser with a vanity mirror, plus a closet. It had the east window. She saw a picture on the dresser and walked over to it.

The picture was of her mother, her mother held onto two blond girls, her sisters, whilst their father group hugged them. She noticed a young boy with dirty blond hair was squished amongst them however. Tears spilled from her eyes as she saw the smiling faces of them, how happy they looked. She pushed it down and walked out, grabbing Rich's hand and marching to the door. Any thoughts of the boy were gone by now.

By the time they were back outside she was crying again and she had forgotten to write the note for Darla. Lidia was gone, but Edward was there, sitting on the steps of the porch. He turned around seeing them before standing.

"Got everything?" She nodded. He gave her a small smile, something that only a parent could say through one. A special brand of 'everything is going to be alright'. She appreciated it and helped Rich down the steps.

He held her bag for her but stopped her before they went too far.

"Medea, where are your shoes?" She looked up at him, and looked around. She then shrugged. He grinned, shaking his head. Rich was barefoot too.

"Where did L-Lidia go?" Her voice so small and silent like that she wasn't sure if he had heard her.

"She went to the school house, probably to tell Darla, tattle or whatever." She almost laughed at how childish he saw her as. She settled with sniffling though.

* * *

They got back to the Elric house and Winry was waiting on the porch. She took one look at Medea's face and she let out a terrible gasp, anger flying into her eyes.

"EDWARD ELRIC? WHAT HAPPENED TO HER FACE?" All three of them sweat dropped as they were sure the entire Risembool populace heard her. Edward lurched back, and she saw Winry with a wrench in her hand.. .

How bad did it look? She reached up to touch just under her eye as Ed went to tell her what had happened. She let out a whimper as pain flowered where she touched and she dropped her hand, looking off towards the direction of the river.

"Aww hunny . . . That Lidia is just something else! Oooooh if she had the guts to come down here . . I'd show her!" Ed had his hand behind his head again as he chuckled nervously.

"Hows Noah?" He motioned for the two 'kids' to come inside as he took Winry's hand, Medea's bag still over his shoulder.

She had answered him while she went inside, but Medea couldn't hear, she looked at the ground as she walked inside closing the door behind her. She walked into the kitchen where the two were talking, Al wasn't there though. She saw Rich go upstairs and she decided to follow him. He ran down the hallway peeking into his sister's room where he disappeared into.

She followed him, looking in before she entered. Alphonse was there, holding the baby like Noah on one hip while the other hand had a thick book in it. He was walking in a circle taking a few steps forward then using a side ways walk and then going backwards until completing this circle and starting over again. All the while reading. . .

"What are you reading Al?" It was a big book and he kept moving, she couldn't quite catch the title. He looked up and blushed.

"O-oh! Medea you are back?" He smiled kindly to her.

He closed the book and handed it to her.

**Albert Shuven's**

**Guide to Advanced Alchemy**

"What is al . .chimney?" He laughed as she looked through it.

"Alchemy, its a science. A science based on Equivalent Exchange. It allows you to use resources and materials to break down and create something a new." He was using terms she hadn't heard before, and the pages were worse. Nothing but other languages and numbers and strange designs. She couldn't help but look through them at detailed length though. It was like . . .a pull. She couldn't understand the formula's but she could tell each separate part was some kind of material and that each design was used for each formula.

"I'm not going to lie Al, this is awfully weird looking stuff . . . " He chuckled nodding in agreement to her.

"You got that right." He put Noah on his other hip as Medea handed him the book back.

"I travel places to study it, its fascinating, in fact I've used it all my life. Although I mostly learn in the East now. . . " He had turned his head toward Noah, taking his shirt hem and wiping her mouth of drool.

Medea remembered that Edward had said he traveled too.

"Does Edward travel to study too? Does that mean he also uses this alchemy?" Al had a more serious look on his face.

"Yes, he travels to study as well, and he used to do alchemy, he doesn't anymore though. " She was so confused.

"Why not?" He looked around as if the answer was on the walls.

"Well . . . its sorta dangerous. .."

"It's very dangerous. Plus I don't need to use alchemy to study it." Ed walked in, scaring both Al and Medea. He took his baby daughter and held her up over his head.

"Who is a pink lil Zeppelin? Noah is!" She laughed and he laughed back at her. Medea supposed that this was the queue to not talk about it anymore. She was still very curious though.

"Can I study with you?" Both men went quiet and they looked at her.

"Study alchemy?" She nodded. Ed chuckled.

"For what reasons?" She frowned. Looking at the book still in Al's hand.

"Do you both study it?" They nodded.

"And you both are smart. . . so therefore I want to study it so I can be as smart. Besides, I just feel like I should anyways." She gave a curt little nod and walked out, going down the stairs and towards the kitchen leaving the men rather dumbfounded.

Winry was sitting at the table which was now covered with a beige tarp with some metal pieces scattered about it. She looked up and smiled.

"Hey sweety, how's your face? I can get some ice if you need it." She smiled kindly and was very convincing, Medea nodded yes and Winry held a finger to insinuate to wait a moment.

She leaned over, looking at the metal pieces. There were tools and such, screws, wires, she saw an oil drum. She heard loud stomping up stairs and wondered what was going on.

"Man, those boys . . .so rowdy, I hope this is a girl, we need more of us around if you know what I mean." She winked at her, holding out a small cloth that redoubtably wrapped some ice, in one hand. She gently placed it under her eye and over her throbbing cheek, tears coming back at the remembrance of the malice in her sister's eyes. Hatred. However, she looked to Winry, who held a hand to her stomach, and for the first time she noticed that she had a round belly.

"How much longer?" Winry smiled,

"Oh about 5 maybe 6 months." Her eyes sparkled as they both thought about the new baby that was on its way.

Some one was coming down the stairs and she moved out of the way to let them through into the kitchen. Al had a much smaller book clutched to his chest and Ed . . . well he was in nothing but a pair of black shorts.

Her eyes went huge when she saw his left leg.

He nodded to her, not minding that she was staring. He hopped up on the table and Winry moved so she could get to his automail better.

"You want to know how I lost my leg?" Her eyes were still wide, she nodded yes though.

"Through alchemy. I lost my arm and my leg , not performing it, but as a cause from it." Her mouth opened wide before she closed it. Al came back into view though.

"Hard to believe it, but I was once nothing more then a suit of armor. I won't force you to believe it, I know it sounds like a tale; but know that we both lost these things through alchemy." He looked at his brother who watched Winry with a wrench. At this sight both men leaned away from her.

"You might as well tell her the whole truth. . ." Winry said in a smaller voice. She began to tighten things on his metal leg.

"Not today, I want to be sure she is serious. I think she could be an alchemist. . .someone great . . .to use Alchemy for what its truly for. " Al nodded.

"You should have seen her eyes light up when she looked through A. S. Advanced. I could tell she was running through those calculations, she can't depict them yet but her mind was working them." Ed looked to Medea again.

"There are consequences to everything we do, there are rules to everything, rules must not be broken. They are set for reasons. More then often the consequences are permanent. What's lost can not be found . . " He grew a little quieter looking first at his arm and then at his brother, " Least not with out more sacrifice. . ." She nodded, completely engulfed in this.

"Everyone has the potential to be an alchemist. Its in everyone. But only a few can access it. Their very own Door." Al's eyes masked over at this, he was deep in thought.

"I closed my Door Medea, I can not perform Alchemy, Al _can_ though. If you are serious, and you think you can keep up with it, that you can live through the hard work and you will put your utmost effort into it . . .then I will teach you." He looked to Al.

"I will too. _We_ will teach you. But you must swear that you will follow the rules and laws, promise that you will never break them." She nodded vigorously.

"I swear I will. I swear to do my best in learning and I swear to follow the rules set." She looked into Edward's eyes when she said this, he nodded after a few minutes.

Al turned to her, handing her the small book he had clasped in his hands.

"This was one of the first books we read when we started. Read through it, it will be your guide lines until we think you are ready for something else. Your assignment is to memorize it. Memorize and comprehend it or it won't mean anything." She nodded flicking through it. It only had words and a few math problems. Things that were simple and easy. She almost sighed but held it in. She was glad that they accepted her. She was suddenly surged with happiness and felt that this was a new beginning. She suddenly flung herself at Al hugging him as he laughed. She turned to Ed and threw herself over the table to hug him, all three of them laughing now. Winry had a sad look in her eyes despite joining in. She was hugged last, as she gazed into Ed's eyes as if to say 'are you sure?' he gave her a positive look in reply. He had a good feeling that this was the right path.

* * *

For the next few days they went according to a schedule set by her two new Teachers. She woke up right before the sun came up, she had a good full breakfast, she was to read at least one chapter before writing a synopsis over it, and describing what it means, and ways this might imply in her daily life. They gave her word problems and math problems and puzzles to figure out. All things to work her brain, get her to think. She had no trouble keeping up and both Ed and Al were very proud at her pace.

She could take a break at lunch in which Winry would make a great meal for her and after wards she would begin back on her reading, and writing.

"I want to teach you about Equivalent Exchange today." Ed said, he was on the porch, lounging on the wood rail with a leg on the floor boards. Al had a chair with several notebooks scattered about on either sides. In the middle of them sat a well and much healthier looking Medea, her dark red hair was pulled back for the first time since she could remember and she held an expression that clearly shown she was full of life. Her cheeks were rosy as she smiled and laughed, she nodded completely ready for a new lesson.

Ed had in his hand a book, and he showed her the cover of it. It was a very worn black leather bound book that looked older then all three of them put together. The title read,

**Laws of Equivalent Exchange**

She smiled, it seemed like such an easy title. The brothers were solemn so she got it together. Ed opened it up, he was very careful with it as the pages were very yellow and missing pieces from the ends, they looked like they would crumble if not careful enough. He flipped through the pages until he found what he was looking for. With out looking at the page,

"Human kind can not gain anything without first giving something in return." He looked to her, to make sure she was paying attention. Oh she was, her eyes were on him, her attention not anywhere else but his words.

"To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is alchemy's first law of equivalent exchange." He closed the book and handed it to Al. She watched it be passed wishing she could read it what else it had to say.

"The rest of that book is complete bullshit." Ed clasped his hands together.

"Tell me what that Law means." His hazel eyes were trained on his pupil, watching her to see her reactions, the ticks and movements she made.

She looked to the floor, running the whole bit through her mind again. She looked up to Al who was watching his brother. Her eyes trained to him who was watching her. She looked deep into his eyes, and she felt that any answer she gave would not be the right one

"I think . . .the book means that . . . ." She looked out over the porch through the railings, seeing the sheep in the distance.

"If you want to want so much wool then you must take care of so many sheep to gain it." She looked up to Ed who was smiling softly.

"Or , if you want to eat some of Winry's awesome apple pie, you need to get those apples for her." His smile grew a little wider.

"Or like a job, if you want money to buy food or other necessities then you had better work hard." She nodded. Looking up to Edward she saw he held a soft glow in his eyes, and wondered if she answered right.

"Some how . . .I think that it means more then just a balance of things though. . ." She had said it under breath, but she could tell both brothers had heard her. Ed's eyes drained of the previous emotion, Al almost gasped, his head flicking towards her direction.

"What do you mean Medea?" She looked to Al, her own face in confusion.

"I just feel that it has a whole entire more complex meaning. A definition that I don't think a book will have . . .or that perhaps just anyone can know maybe . . ." She was rattling on, watching the planks of boards that made up the porch.

"I'd suppose that you wouldn't want to ask for something if you don't have something of equal value for it either, so how would a person know if it's of equal value?" She looked up to Ed this time, the questions and thoughts roaming through her head.

He gazed into her bright eyes looking for an answer that he could give her. She had gone a little more deep that he had thought she would go.

"You don't know . . .no one ever does. Science is never exact. I think most of it,'He turned his head away with a scoff," is all just a guessing game."

She watched him, her eyes trained on him. She wanted to say something but stayed quiet, feeling that this was some moment of peace.

He picked up a book from a stack that had been near him. Al nodded towards it. He held his hand out towards Medea who gave him a questioning look.

"You are too advanced for that book, I'm moving you to something a little more challenging. I can't expect you to grow and learn when you have surpassed the material." She couldn't help the smile that graced her mouth. He was symbolizing his trust in her by moving her so fast, Al could tell that she was going to be great one of these days. He felt she got to a late start but that perhaps she was already catching up to it.

* * *

After the first week, Medea had almost forgot about ever having sisters she was so caught up in work. In fact, it wasn't until they both came stomping up to the Elric's that she remembered that she had another house that she lived at.

"Edward Elric, I know she is here!" It was Lidia screaming at the top of her shrill voice. Medea was up in the bedroom, she had been doing some early morning reading. She went to the window, this had to have been the window that Winry used the light in. . .

Down in front of the porch was her two sisters. Lidia had an angry look and Darla . . .Medea almost gasped. She looked like a wreck. Her hair all messy and bags under her eyes. She suddenly looked up at the window she was peeking out and she scrambled back inside. She went downstairs, Winry at the kitchen table, a strange look on her face.

She wasn't going to stop, she was going to just go to the door but,

"You don't have to go if you want to stay here, and it makes you happy, then all of us want you to stay." Winry didn't look up from the table, but Medea nodded. She loved it here, she couldn't remember being so happy before.

She ran to the door and onto the porch. Edward was there, his shortened temper back and his hands on his hips he appeared to be arguing with Lidia.

"I have children that are sleeping here Lidia, keep your voice down." His own was grated through clenched teeth, he was trying to be polite despite how pissed he was getting. Lidia looked passed him and the lively Medea, who was dressed in a lovely red dress and her hair pulled back by two french braids. She held the thick book she had been reading under one arm.

"So there is our ungrateful brat. Tell her to come home Darla." Her snooty voice was already annoying she thought. Darla looked at Medea, she stepped closure trying to get a better look in the darkened morning.

"Medea . . you look so well. . ." Her voice cracked. Medea walked to the edge of the porch, she was completely equal with Ed now.

"I'm happy here." She looked her right in her eyes. Tears welled up in both girls and soon they were both sniffling.

Darla nodded,

"I can definitely tell. It suits you to be here with these people?" Medea nodded.

"They treat me like I'm apart of the family, I'm not an outsider with them." She looked up to Edward.

"Medea, you _are _family." He said it so that they all could hear, he placed a hand on her shoulder like a father might. The sound of the door creaking open was heard and Winry was standing in the doorway. She nodded when she saw that Medea noticed she had a wrench in her hand.

Lidia scoffed rolling her eyes. Medea held up the book.

"I'm learning here Lidia, I'm not being used for labor other then maybe my head. I'm s-smart, and they are helping me to be more smart." She had a determined look in her eyes.

"_You_ can't read something like _that_. I can't even." Medea's brow furrowed down, she felt Ed's hand tighten around her shoulder. This was the 2nd volume of the series. It was nothing but fractions and formulas. ..

" I don't have to prove that I am more intelligent then you think. It just goes to prove that if you can't comprehend that I am in fact intelligent, then therefore I must be more intelligent then yourself." Darla had tears in her eyes again as she smiled at Medea. Lidia had a hateful look again as her mouth flew open. Darla turned to her.

"Go home Lidia, I'll settle this." She looked like she was about to argue with her but thought differently on it and stomped towards the path that would take her back into 'the middle'.

Darla looked towards the porch and walked there, becoming much closer with the people she was talking to.

"Winry?" Winry came out from the doorway, she walked down the porch steps and stood next to Darla.

" I love that girl, I have never minded that we didn't share a father. Never. She is my family and I love her." She nodded while saying this, as if to confirm it to herself.

Winry put a hand to Darla's shoulder.

"She isn't here to be completely away from her family Darla. I'm sure that Edward will explain why she has been here so long with out message. . "

"Yeah, and it doesn't have anything to do with studies either." His brow came down again. He grabbed Medea's hand and brought her down to their level. He moved her dark red bangs from her face and Darla gasped.

"Lidia hit her when I tried to take her home the other day." He looked down at Medea who watched Darla cry some more. She reached over to her, hugging her to herself.

"Lidia has been drinking a lot more, I know honey. She is just under a lot of stress. . . she doesn't mean to be violent. She is getting married in a few months. . .he has a baby so she is going to be thrown into motherhood as soon as she is married. She is really nervous and all that." She patted her hair trying to make excuses for her. Medea pulled away.

"She is getting married?" Darla nodded. This was news to her. . .why hadn't anyone told her about this?

"What kind of studies are you applying here? I know Edward and Alphonse travel to learn. . .is it?" She looked to Edward who nodded at her.

"We are teaching her alchemy." Darla gasped, her gaze flying down to her scrawny pale sister Medea.

"Medea? Alchemy?" The determined look came back.

"They both say I am a natural at it, and besides, I enjoy it anyways." Edward agreed to this as well.

"She shows high promise of being a very advanced Alchemist later in life. " Medea felt warm pride fill her up as she heard him praise her.

Darla sighed with a shrug,

"It makes sense, seeing as your father had been a 'Dog of the State' . . ." Medea's eyes flashed, Winry looked at Edward.

"My father had been an alchemist?" Her voice was more breathy then normal, Darla nodded though.

"Apparently a very good one at that. He had some strange state title . . . I don't remember though." Her mouth was open and she looked at Ed who had a similar look. He then grinned at her.

"Ha . . knew it was in you." He laughed, he couldn't wait to tell Al.

" I understand then, that this is something . . you need to do. Like me and that school. " She shook her head with a watery smile.

"I feel you are growing up already. . . " Her voice cracked again. She pulled her in for another hug.

"I don't want you to be a stranger at our house though, it's still your home. You understand me?" Medea nodded. She was thankful that Darla was so understanding.

"Thank you." She hugged her back.

"I love you Medea."

"I love you too." The two of them sniffled, and parted. Winry gave her a hug and went back inside. Medea wanted to watch Darla though. She walked soon out of sight, and she felt like something big had just transpired. . . again. She gave a sigh and turned around.

Edward was sitting on the porch, a soft look on his face.

"You ok?" She nodded, she was so grateful to have him in her life. He was practically the father she had always wanted. He was nearly always there for her now, he just seemed to know. She started to walk towards the porch, she nodded yes to his question. He stood up, holding his hand out for her. She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. He gave her that 'it's alright' look again and pulled her up for a tight hug. She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into his chest. He rubbed her back as she cried. She just couldn't help it, she felt that she needed to just cry.

So much in so little time, it was a lot for her to handle. He waited there with her patiently until she was done, and all calmed down.

"Wanna go see if we can sniff out any pie that could be left?" She gave a laugh before sniffling and nodded.

"Yeah, sounds good." He grinned before helping her up the stairs as they went and made a bee line for the kitchen.

* * *

**I hate leaving notes after every chapter.. .**

**So I think I'm going to delay Envy a little longer, I feel that I need to make her progress a little more. Her relationships and her inner strength and what not. It will be a good thing though : O you'll see. . .  
**


	5. Train To Success

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from FMA or from the creators of it.**

**A Heart Dressed in Wicked**

**Chapter 4.) Train To Success**

* * *

It had been nearly three months since Medea had begun spending most of her time studying with the Elric brothers. Her progression was astounding and they were both entirely proud of their pupil. She did spend a few days every now and then at Darla's as a small 'break'. Although usually it was a rather quiet household with only herself and Darla. Her other sister Lidia having stayed with her new husband, his baby daughter requiring her 'love' as her new mother. Alas not everything was picture perfect. . .

"You can't go! There is so much you have to teach me still!" Medea stomped her foot as Al shrunk into himself, he looked to Edward for help but he could only grin at him. Her outburst was very humorous, her hair was a mess and her eyes fiery. Edward couldn't help but love her more then ever. The way his younger brother held out his hands as if he was up against the devil itself. . .he couldn't help but chuckle.

"Medea . . . It won't be forever, I just have to go to Xing for a few months, I'll be back.. . " His sweet sounding voice tried to comply to her temper but she really wasn't having it. She suddenly turned on Ed who was still grinning. His eyes were nearly copies of her own but not as dangerous at the moment, he was completely calm.

"Are you leaving too?" Her eyebrows were scrunched tightly in her anger, her eyes full of accusation. He laughed and nodded yes and answered with a rather smug look.

"Yeah, I'm going to central to say hello to some old friends." She threw her hands up in the air.

"I can't believe this!" She saw a grinning Winry come into the kitchen with a gray eyed Noah on her hip and a sleepy Heinerich at her tail.

"I'm leaving in an hour so you'd better hurry up and pack your stuff." She stopped her tantrum and spun to Edward.

"What?" He laughed. Medea saw Winry's look, she had known.

"You are going to Central with me. I already worked it out with Darla. I want to take you to the library up 'll probably have a seizure when you see how many books Central Library has on Alchemy. " He grinned at her as she jumped up and down excitedly.

"Oh my! I've never been out of Risembool before! I'm so nervous! I could throw up!" She continued to jump up and down with a big smile on her face. Winry laughed and shook her head as she started breakfast, Ed made a shooing wave at her.

"Go and pack some clothes Medea, we'll be gone for about two weeks." Her eyes went wide with excitement and she ran up to the bedroom squealing most the way up. Winry giggled at the excitement of their newest family member.

"Oh that girl . . " Edward nodded, he placed a tanned hand on his hip and made silly faces towards his children.

* * *

Fall was nearly there, the leaves on all the trees were starting to turn the autumn time colors but he didn't take the time to notice them. He sat perched up in a tree that sat in a group of other oaks on a hill that over looked Risembool. He gave a growl at the knowledge that one of his 'chickens' would be leaving soon. He wouldn't be able to follow, and was rather pissed that it would have been a perfect time to 'harvest' too. With Edward and Alphonse gone he would have no trouble at all gathering his chicks.

He watched the town begin to stir to life as the sun began to rise, with out removing his gaze,

"How many?" He barked the demanding question to the creature that lounged beneath him in the dirt. The said creature slowly picked itself up, a four legged partially scaled and furred beast it was. It's head was something similar to a lion yet with snake like eyes and goat horns, its body like a goat except the front two feet were lions paws and along the spine was snake skin, and a snake for a tail, the head of the snake had small goat ears. It looked like it had mange and it drooled uncontrollably from it's gnarled mouth.

It's green eyes suddenly became a piercing red and its world went dark. Completely dark except for five little red flames in the distance. The little flames bustled about, doing work or just rousing up.

"Five." It's cracked and dry grated voice answered. Another growl came from its master.

"Only? Pathetic. . . .the other town was smaller and it had eight." Eight harvested alchemists. Only three had survived however. His plan to weed out only what he could use was simple, he only needed a few more towns and he would be complete, he didn't even have to mess around with the state.

He then realized something else.

"Ugh, and presumably only three if we leave out midget's spawn . . ." Only three from Risembool? That was a lot less then he had wanted. . .and that was assuming he would weed the three out. Only one would come from it.

"Let's go, I can't harvest with out my strongest hen. . ." The creature lumbered towards the direction it's lithe master had bound, wishing he would just allow it to sleep.

* * *

The three of them had caught a cab into the next town where the nearest train station was and Medea was nothing less then jittery and hyper. Darla had near smothered her to death with hugs and kisses before they left as it was, so she was very hyped up.

Laughing ,

"Medea! Calm down before you scare the train away." He and Al continued to laugh at her as she stuck her tongue out. She looked at Al and smiled to him, he smiled back and nodded.

He wouldn't be traveling with them past here and she felt like it would be forever since she would see him again. She gave a sigh and bit her lip. Alphonse grabbed her in for a hug as he saw the train off in the distance.

"It's basically here so I'm going to go . . you are gonna be alright and have loads of fun for me right?" She nodded with large nervous eyes. He pinched her cheek gently and made baby faces, "It's going to be fine . . and besides I'll see you in a few months, ok?" He patted her cheek and he laughed.

She grinned and laughed with him though, and when the train finally pulled in she calmed down, her eyes going wide again. Al walked away waving to them both after exchanging hugs with Ed too.

"Ed. . . I'm nervous. . . " He patted her gently.

"I know its a big change. You'll have lot's of fun, promise." His smile was enough to convince her and she smiled back, grabbing his hand as he gave the officer their tickets and they boarded.

Once seated in their own car she looked around. The red carpet and the plush dark red seats. The walls delicately painted in golden stems and leaves. The dark brown velvet curtains for the windows and the gold painted panes.

"It's so nice!" Edward smiled again.

"It should be, we are riding first class." This piqued her interest again.

"Oh?" He nodded, he reached into the pocket of the black trousers he was wearing and pulled out a silvery pocket watch. He flashed the symbol on the front and she immediately knew.

"You work for the State? But I thought you couldn't perform alchemy anymore?" He nodded, looking to her.

"I didn't lose my status because well, besides being 'friends' with the Fuhrer," She gasped at this," I've done some pretty amazing things for the state." He said it rather proudly, making her giggle. She noticed he took a darker look though, maybe some other stuff that wasn't so great?

"I'm one of their Chief Scientists, so I'm rather important any way you look at it." She thought about what that would mean, she thought that perhaps it gave him a lot of attention.

The train horn started off and she jumped. Then suddenly the train began with a lunge forward and they were off.

Her legs swung wildly as she looked out the window, a huge smile on her face as she watched the places go by. Other towns, fields, woods. She saw a huge lake and nearly plastered her face to the window looking at it. Edward couldn't help but watch her. Not only was she a beautiful child, he was fascinated in her. She was so intelligent. She picked up on reading books that would have taken him and Al weeks to decipher together ,all by herself in the course of a few days. He faintly wondered if Rich would be like her, and hoped he would.

She had most of the simple and basic circles memorized and more then 10 of the complex ones down. She only seemed to have to draw them out a few times and she was set. Same with the formulas. He and Al had to re-read and write them all down a dozen times to memorize them. She read them twice at max and she could write them down with out looking. He actually couldn't wait t get her to start using it, she had said she hadn't yet but he just knew inside him that she could. He thought back to Teacher and wondered how she would think on the way he has been teaching her. She was just so perfect to him that he couldn't bare to put her through more pain then necessary.

He suddenly thought about being younger, and wanting her. She was nearly a perfect match for him. Although he knew he loved her, he also knew that it would never go further then father daughter love. He was married with children, only a few stray thoughts he supposed.

She let her gaze run off the window and to Edward who seemed to be staring off into space but seemingly at her. She cocked her head and he gave her a half smile.

"You know that Al and I are proud of your hard work, right?" She felt her cheeks burning and she nodded. He wanted to be sure she knew, he knew that it would have made a hell of a difference had Izumi praised him more, he wasn't sure about Alphonse but he was sure it would have been the same.

He had done a lot for her, changed her for the better she figured. Not just innermost self either, she knew that she changed on the outside as well from it. She remembered talking to Darla about finally feeling things. Feeling happy and proud. Darla told her that she could see the happiness on her, that she was glad she found something that she could be proud of and to use it well. Before she had nothing going for her, her life had been only leading towards living on the farm, maybe some attendant. That wasn't the life she would have been happy in.

"Thank you for what you both have done for me. I didn't want to waste away like I was. . ." She looked to the red carpet. She saw him nod out of the corner of her eye then look out the window. He was the only one she could be so open with, she didn't know why either, only that she could trust him. It was very similar with Al, but she couldn't ever be as open as she was with Edward.

"I would have hated myself if I let you slip away with out giving you a chance." She looked up at him, his voice having changed so dramatically it was startling. She wondered who taught him. He remembered the night he first saw her, his view of her then was a dramatic change to how it was now.

She had been some angel bathed in moonlight and curled up ready for the sun to hurry and find her. Her dark red hair looked black in the night and her fair skin was nearly luminescent. She had taken his breath away at first sight. Then she had looked up at him, and those beautiful large golden eyes with those crystal like tears in them . . .oh how his heart had ached for her. She had looked so broken, like she hadn't known what to do with herself. He's had to just help her. He couldn't have turned her away even if he had wanted to.

He suddenly looked to her patting his leg to get her attention,

"New lesson. I want you to think about this phrase and tell me what you think it means. Not today . ..but someday. Alright?" She nodded. "Tomorrow?" He gave her a flat look and she giggled.

"All is One and One is All." His face was so serious with it. . . she thought about it hard. He watched her hands scrunch up as she thought, the way her eyes caught a certain spot and focused. She looked back up to him and nodded. She would think about it for sure.

He remembered when his own teacher had made him learn it. She had given him the hard way of learning it, probably had been the best way for him and Al to learn it. He wanted her to think on it. He had no doubt that she could tell him sooner then a month. Even with out having life or death situations apprised to her.

She broke the silence when an excited voice, her eyes eager.

"So . . I can't believe I'm going to Central! Isn't that where they hold the State Tests?" She wanted to change the subject so that perhaps the tone would get lighter in there. She saw his eyes light up and he nodded.

"It's amazing, those tests. They are different for everyone and only a few pass each year. Actually, I think Roy passed a new law that they will only hold the Tests every three years now. . ." She went bug eyed.

"Roy?" He made laws. . .was he the-

"The Fuhrer, sorry." He chuckled as her eyes went wide.

"You call him by his first name?" He shrugged.

"On the contrary I call him by his last, but when in front of Officials we get formal." He winked at her and she grinned. He pulled out his pocket watch and clicked it open to see the time. She just happened to see the scratchings on the inside. She got up and sat next to him.

"Hey . . .whats this date?" He ran his thumb over it.

He didn't answer her with words, he tapped his metal leg however and her shoulders sagged. She looked up at him.

"I'll ask you about that in a few years, ok?" He started to laugh.

"I'll probably spill before then."

"I'll remember to ask, just you wait. I'll give it about . . . five or six." He burst out in more laughter.

"That's a long time!" She shook her head.

"Not really." He laughed some more giving her the sweetest of looks until a knock sounded on the door. It slid open as he answered and there was a car officer.

"S-sir, phone call for you up in the Conductor's Quarters." He nodded and stood up, he looked back at Medea.

"You gonna be ok for a few minutes?" She rolled her eyes with a grin on her face. She nodded and gave him a thumbs up.

"When the 'snack lady' comes by get some candy, the money is in that bag." He pointed to it as both their eyes lit up at the mention of sweets. He left, sliding the doors shut behind him.

She felt it was eerily quiet suddenly and dug around in the bag, she found a black men's clutch and then saw a book at the bottom. She put the clutch back and pulled out the book. It didn't have a title and it was another leather bound. Upon opening it she saw it was written in inky scribbles . . .was it some kind of journal? She flipped through the pages. Notes upon notes were in this. Her eyes went wide at terms that she hadn't seen before and her eyes were glued to it.

She got to a section that made her heart beat fast,

**Alchemy's Greatest Taboo**

**Human Transmu-**

The journal about flew out of her hand as someone knocked on the doors and she quickly put the journal back. She grabbed the clutch and opened the sliding doors to see a tiny smiling old lady with a cart full of goodies. The 'snack lady'.

She thanked her when she left as she munched on some taffy and settled back on Ed's side of the car, the cushioned bench making her suddenly leaned against the window and wondered what was taking Ed so long.

She thought back to that journal and wondered if that was his, if he wrote those notes. And what about the section about the taboo? Human Transmutation wasn't it? She gave a shiver, just the sound of it seemed off. She heard the doors slide open and then back closed.

"Miss me?" Ed chuckled as he settled down beside her. The candies were spread out between them as they munched.

"How long does it take to _get_ to Central?" He looked to the ceiling for a second.

"About a day in a half. Not too bad." Her eyes went bug eyed again and he laughed.

"Compared to riding for a week with only a few stops to stretch your legs? Yeah, its not that bad." He ruffled her hair and she smiled, shaking her head looking back out the window.

"What's Central like? I've only heard it was big and really scary from Lidia. She met . . .Robert there I think." He nodded, but had that 'ugh' look. Robert was Lidia's new husband, a fellow Alchemist and about 30 years older too.

"It is really big, its a city. But if you know where you are going it isn't all that scary. You'll be with me so we will mostly be at Central HQ." Her eyes were trained at him.

"The military part?" Her voice wavered. He grinned.

"Ready to meet the Fuhrer?" She looked like she would faint. He laughed at her. He patted her leg fondly,

"Hey, as long as you are under age he should keep his hands to himself. Well . . I don't know. . .you are pretty cute." He winked before laughing again. She enjoyed when he teased her but this was making her a little nervous.

"Actually, I'll have to ask him how married life is treating him. Bet that's a trip for him. . .was for me." She sighed and grinned. She had heard that the Fuhrer was a womanizer. . .thank gods that Lidia hadn't got to come. Also she silently thanked that she didn't inherit the good looks for once.

"He asked me to come, technically I'm on an Educational Leave, meaning I'm on a vacation to study. Seeing as how he asked me for something so important . . I couldn't really resist. I thought it would be a good chance to get you outta that place anyways. It's good for a young alchemist to see places." She was watching his face carefully.

Some of the facial expressions he made led her to believe something really really important was up. . . she gave him a confused look and he looked around. Leaning forward,

"You have to promise not to say anything to anyone, not even Al. This has to stay between us and the Fuhrer. Got it?" She nodded with large hazel eyes.

"Something is going on, All the Registered Alchemists are going missing they believe that some of the other missing cases are also alchemists, just ones that aren't registered. It started on the south side of Central, the rural towns there and it worked its way around. . . a few towns left before Risembool." Her eyes were huge now and her mouth open.

"Wait, if they are unregistered then how are they known?" He grinned at her.

"Trust me, the military knows an alchemist. The ones that go missing and are unregistered are under-aged. All alchemists must have registry after the age of 15, in fact we will get you that while we are here." She got the jitters again. She would be an official registered alchemist! She thought about the incidents though.

"What do you think about the missing Alchemists?" He looked to the ground.

"I have an idea, but I have to wait until I tell the Fuhrer, see what he thinks first. K?" She nodded, she was happy she was in on this even if he couldn't tell her it all.

Night had crept upon them and they laid out blankets provided for them on each side. They told each other goodnight and the lights were out. Medea had a little trouble going to sleep despite being tired. Too much on her mind.

* * *

**I know, short chapter. I had to break up the original in two, so i chose the shorter one. Good news for that though, chapter 5 will be out sooner : D And thanks to my review! Mattane. **


	6. Ties Everywhere

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from FMA or from the creators of it.**

**A Heart Dressed in Wicked**

**Chapter 5.) Ties Everywhere**

* * *

When Medea had woken up it was very sunny. It felt out of place because for the past few months she had been waking up_ before _the sun was up. She rubbed her eyes and yawned before stretching out.

"Morning sleeping beauty. We will be in Central in about three hours. " She sat up right immediately.

"Holyshitwhattimeisit?" She rattled it off and blushed as she realized she had fingers went to her mouth and she looked at him through her long lashes. Ed didn't look angry however, he laughed.

"Gah! Don't let Winry hear that I've been rubbing off on ya." He laughed some more.

"It's almost noon, I figured I'd let you sleep, all this excitement would make anyone tired. Besides, I don't want to over work you anyways. I''m always afraid Al and I are going to do that." He thought about how easy he was going on her compared to his training. He faintly wondered if he was doing right by this or not. None the less he smiled before reaching over and grabbing a plate with a metal top. He reached over handing it to her.

She opened it and saw that it was breakfast. Eggs and bacon and toast and some slices of fruit.

"Yum." She licked her mouth and he smiled.

"Thought you would be hungry too." He grinned looking back out the window. It wasn't Winry's, but it sure was good.

She noticed he was wearing different attire too. A black shirt with adorning buckles and a vibrant red coat. It looked so good on him too, she wondered why he decided to change into it. In fact . . . it made him look younger as well.

* * *

"Is that it?"

"No Medea . . . "

"Is that it?"

"No . . . "

"Is that it?"

" . . .Medea, No."

"I-"

"I'll tell you when we get there!"

For the past hour Medea had her face plastered against the window, she saw buildings and thought it had been Central but apparently suburbs were not Central. She couldn't help being so excited . .

She sat down and Ed gave a sigh of relief. Perhaps she would stay a little more calm before they got there.

She tapped a beat on her thigh and her legs swung out far and fast. She sighed.

Edward looked at her. She changed the beat of her tapping and then sighed again. She looked down at her gray booted feet, courtesy of Al, and sighed again. Edward had the urge to roll his eyes at her, she was so funny. . .

"Medea." She looked up with round eyes.

"We are here." He really did roll his eyes this time as the train came to a stop and he stood up. She lit up like a beam. When he saw how excited she was he couldn't help but feel happy for her.

She bounced on her tippy toes as she waited for their car to be released, her bag bouncing on her back. Ed shook his head laughing lightly at her. _'What a character. . . '_

The officer knocked on their door and she almost booked it, he grabbed her back by her bag and laughed loudly.

"Whoa there, wait for me Speed Demon." She looked up at him and smiled. She followed so closely behind him she was practically on his back and he shook his head. She made a tapping sound with her foot when they had to pause for a woman who took up most the isle with just her hips. Her graying hair was poofed upward and she had a snotty look about her. She was taking her sweet time getting off the train and Medea felt ready to burst.

Once off the train Edward felt like he should have tied her to him, she made him nervous at how bouncy she was. It was her first time in a city like this so she didn't know how it worked. He was suddenly nervous about her here after thinking about it. A young girl in a big city was a little much, he was suddenly almost regretting bringing her. He wouldn't let anything happen to her, he realized that as long as he was around she would be safe. This satisfied the nerves and he soon calmed down, thinking first about how to make this work.

"Rules Medea." She stood at attention.

"You stay up my ass like you were unless given further notice." She smiled goofy like and laughed. She flashed him a thumbs up and he grabbed her hand making their way onto a side walk that would take them to the square where HQ was located. She gave a nervous ,

"Uh. . ." He stopped and looked back at her.

"There are so many people. . ." He laughed, and nodded. Compared to the population of Risembool, he figured it might be a little over whelming for her.

"Yeah Medea, it's a city after all." He patted her hand and led on. She saw all kinds of stuff that she hadn't seen in person before. There was entertainers like singers and dancers, and benders, games and all sorts of things.

Then the stores they passed! So many varieties of them, you could buy anything here.

"We'll come back through and go shopping, I'll buy you anything you want. We will have to pick out some stuff for Winry and the kids too." Medea heard Ed say and she got beet red. He cared so much about everyone, she felt the little tears popping up and she started to sniffle. They got to a strange walk where the people thinned out and eventually it was just the two of them. She looked up at him as he stopped.

"Look, HQ." She turned to face the way he was and saw what he meant. The hugest building she had ever seen in her life. It was massive and rectangular. It looked like it was freshly painted white and even new shrubbery bordered the walk. She heard Edward snickering and she turned her attention to him.

"They keep having to remodel the greenery 'cause of Mustang I'm sure. . . " She had no idea what he was talking about, however she had an inkling feeling that she would soon find out.

They walked up the long straight path and right up to the doors where a few men dressed in a strict blue uniform were guarding. They saluted Ed upon seeing his jacket to her surprise. She noticed for the first time the symbol on his back.

"Sir! Welcome back." He nodded, going through the doors being held open for him. He held on to her hand tighter. His red coat swished back and she saw he had pale gloves half tucked into his back pocket.

He seemed to know exactly where he was going, in fact he went right up the stairs and they walked to what seemed like one of the highest levels. He turned off onto a corridor but stopped looking back for Medea who was barely at the top of the stairs. She was red faces and huffing and puffing. She dragged herself up and laid down in the floor as Edward laughed. He walked over to her and put his hands on his knees as he watched her catch her breath on the cold tiled floor.

"You alright? Need me to get a doctor?" Her eyes flew wide at the hearing of doctor and he chuckled, he put a hand out for her and she barely missed it. She swung her arm out again and caught his hand where he shook his head at her and laughed. He pulled her up with ease, she barely weighed a thing to him.

"Ready now? Or do I need to wait a little longer?" She shook her head no, still breathing hard. He laughed once again and carried on down the hallway. They came to the end of the hallway where there was a large white door and a man in a uniform waiting outside it. His hair was blond, and he put out a cigarette in a potted plant right next to him. His eyes grew wide at the sight of Ed and he saluted him quickly.

"Fullmetal, long time no see." Ed nodded, it was the first time Medea had heard 'Fullmetal'.

"How you been Havoc?" Havoc shrugged, he pulled out another cigarette.

"Same ole same ole. Oh! I got a gal now though." Ed grinned at him.

"She hot?" Havoc lit his cigarette and blushed. He wasn't the only one to do so either.

"Oh _yeah_." The door opened before Ed could say anything more and a small petite woman with flaming red hair came out.

She took one look at Ed and turned around. She closed the door behind her.

"Um . . . ."Medea looked up at him. Ed started to chuckle, he had a mischievous look about him. He let go of her hand and ran it through his blond bangs.

"New secretary?" Havoc moved his eyebrows upward to suggest yes.

"There is only one guard?" The man Havoc looked to her.

"Hey little girl . . .the Fuhrer only needs one guard."

Her face got red but not from embarrassment. She was getting pretty mad at him. Edward could apparently tell and he placed his arm around her.

"Havoc, this is no little girl, this is a little Lady." He winked at him. Medea looked up at Edward.

"Are you making fun of me?" He laughed at her.

"Cause you aren't the only one who can make little jokes." His arm tightened around her and he grinned. His attention went back to Havoc, his arm leaving his student.

"Does he have someone in there?" Havoc's eyes looked to the left before he swallowed. Medea looked bug eyed as Edward made his way to the door where Havoc moved in front of him.

"H-hey Major. . . gotta wait, it's my job." Ed rolled his eyes, he turned around and grabbed Medea's hand.

"Come on, I practically own this place, it's fine." She gave a small giggle as she was pulled through the doors, Havoc hadn't tried too hard to fight him. Once in she noticed that it wasn't even an office. She had been so nervous about seeing the Fuhrer and this wasn't even it. The woman from before sat at a desk typing some things on a pretty black type writer until she saw the two.

"You can't be in here. Leave, back out into the hall ,immediately." Goosebumps visited Medea's arms as she felt that they were in trouble.

"I don't care if you know who I am or not, but just so that _you _don't lose your _job_ from the _disrespect_, I'm _the_ Major Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist." Her eyes went wide and her skin flushed .Medea's free hand went to her mouth to stifle a chuckle at how snotty he sounded to her. There was a pair of big gray doors on the opposite side and he made a bee line for it.

"S-sir! The Fuhrer is seeing someone at the moment you can't go in the-!" He cut her off by closing the door behind them. He walked in but stopped about halfway, Medea was pressed up against his back, she tried to look around with out coming from her hiding spot, it didn't work so well. Her grip on his hand tightened and to her surprise he brought her around and let go of her hand.

"Gee Roy, and here I was thinking official set up." Medea peeked over at the large wooden desk in front of them.

"Make yourself at home Fullmetal, not that it matters if I give you permission or not." Edward laughed and walked forward sitting in one of the leather seats in front of the desk. Medea saw ,sitting behind this desk, a pale man with very dark hair that was slicked back. He wore the blue uniform with a few adjustments of medals and such and he also adorned a black eye patch on his left eye. What caught her attention more then this man, the Fuhrer, was the woman near lounging in front of him on the desk.

She was nothing less then absolutely had dark hair, she thought that perhaps it was black, and she had a few strips of what looked like white. Her skin was pale, and she wore a dark purple dress that skillfully shown her figure but did not make her appear indecent. She sat up and leaned towards Ed, she crossed her legs which were covered up to the knees in one black sock and the other a dark purple striped one.

"Edward dear . . . you lack proper manners again. You don't leave a lady standing unaccompanied." Edward jolted a bit, looking back at Medea who was still nearly dumbfounded by this woman she could almost categorize as a creature. Her electric blue eyes almost looked like they were a purple color. . .

"Medea get over here." Ed pointed to the chair next to him. She was actually a little frightened to get that close to her. . .who was she?

"That's my student." The woman's eyes flickered to him.

"Al is going to help when he isn't off in the world, but honestly she is a right genius in the field, book wise anyways. A lot like us actually, give her a book and that's all she needs." She felt a blush crawl up to her face as she heard him call her a genius. She slowly sat in the seat, she could feel the woman's gaze on her. She slid off the desk and walked around behind it. Sitting in Roy's lap he gave her a 'comfy?' look, in which she grinned in reply,her dark lips easy to follow. She leaned forward and pecked him on the mouth. Medea's blush darkened at her boldness. Her attention went back to her and Ed however, Roy seemed to write something.

"Not exactly professional?" Edward laughed a little. "Guess married life suits you Mustang." He chuckled some more before the lady replied.

"Professional only goes if _both _parties are on duty. As it stands I'm not in uniform so I'm probably not on duty." All you needed was a duh at the end of that to top it off. She gave him a steely gaze and Medea wondered why she was so cold to him.

"I wonder what . . .Izumi would think about you taking on a student." His look darkened, and he looked at the floor.

"I wonder too." She gave Medea a glance.

"You aren't going to train her the same way right? She totally wouldn't make it." She started to chuckle. He looked to Medea suddenly.

"I think I'm just going to keep feeding her books until I feel she needs to have some experience." He turned to her. "I think Al and I should teach her to be able to defend herself a little. . .that's always good to know." He got her attention with his eyes, his face calming down to show her it was alright.

"What do you think?" She looked at him like she was going to die and he laughed suddenly, breaking the thick atmosphere. He reached over and patted her hand.

"I forgot how shy she is. This is Medea Richiev." He looked to the dark haired man, the one she already knew was the Fuhrer and 'Mustang' she also remembered Ed calling him Roy.

"This is the Fuhrer, Roy Mustang, also known as the Flame Alchemist." Her heart skipped a beat when his attention was on her, his eye squinted. He nodded none the less, and to her surprise, the woman got up so he could stand up to leaned over the desk, his gloved hand out. She stood up and with a shaky hand she shook it. She noticed the designs on his hand, the circles and the hexes, she noted the tri flame and the oxygen and water symbols. Notations for splitting water atoms and multiplying oxygen.

"Think I might be seeing you for the State Exam one of these years?" She let out a breath, he wasn't scary . . .

She gave him a curt nod.

"Unless death comes upon me, you should definitely see me, see me pass and succeed." Ed grinned and winked at her. Roy straightened his uniform before sitting back down.

"Good to see a young student with so much heart. Sort of reminds me of Ed when he was younger." He went back to his work as the woman remained standing. She watched him before looking up and capturing Medea's eyes.

"I am Elaina Mantello. It's good to finally meet you Medea. I've heard quite a bit about you." She walked around the desk and held her hand out to her. She noticed the strangest looking leather gloves on her. Just as she was about to take her hand, Ed grabbed Elaina's wrist making sure his hand was over her sleeve. He looked up at a grinning Elaina.

"You better not be pulling anything." She grabbed Medea's hand ,

"Nothing at all. . ." He let go of Medea's wrist, she was sorely confused. What was going on? And what had she meant about hearing things about her?

"Are any of you going to tell me what's going on?" She least expected Roy to say anything however.

"Just a bit of sibling rivalry. A bit of good advice would probably be to ignore it for now."

"Sibling my ass. I can't hardly stand her when she is like this." She gave him a hateful look.

"Is someone jealous? Would you like to sit in Roy's lap and give him a kiss to?" She heard papers ruffle nervously, saw Ed's eyes roll.

"A, I just puked a little in my mouth . . .and B you are lucky you are married to the Fuhrer or I'd beat you up." She rolled her eyes this time. Medea was a little shocked to know that she was a wife. . .

"Oh and C, it's disturbing how much you sound like _him." _This was said in a more quiet tone and Medea was sure that this was something bad, who ever 'him' was. She saw Elaina's fist's clench as she allowed her dark hair to cover her face. She then looked to Roy.

"That's not true right?" He set his paper work down, looking into her eyes.

"It doesn't bother me, so I hardly notice." She raised her hands as if to ask the ceiling why.

"I'm noticing more physical traits too. You were regressing for a while, why are they coming back?" She glared at Ed. Her hands were suddenly on her hips, and then they weren't. Just like that, she was angry and then not. She looked to the desk, pulling out a file from the mess of papers. She opened it and she pulled out what looked like a photo. She then pulled out a small compact mirror from a pocket in the small dark green velvety tea jacket she wore. She held up both photo and mirror.

"He isn't so bad when there is more then just hate and violence around him. Show him some love and he changes and shows sides that you don't even know are there." She gazed at the picture a minute and then the mirror before setting them down.

"All you can do is hate and be angry towards him. So he reflects it back. He doesn't know how to act other then that. You have to think of him as sort of a child, if a child has never been shown love or affectionate contact. . .then how does it know how to give it? Especially when that's what the child desires the most. Love and affection . . ." She was trying to reason with him, and Medea saw the strangest look in his eyes.

"He is the one behind these disappearances isn't he? That's why you are here." Her brows furrowed.

"No, I don't know if he is or not. Until they find a body I won't either." He stood up.

"You are such a liar Elaina, I know you know. You are probably helping him find which are the alchemist's and the normals!" Roy set his paper work down again and stood up. He looked to Medea who was at ends trying to keep up.

"You don't know shit from dirt Edward! You are thinking we have some kind of telepathic bond and it's nothing that strong. I look and pull traits from him as a side effect from you know what! The only reason why they look so brash right now is because the newest contact was a few months ago, I tried to kill him! It was me experimenting on how to kill a Homunculus, I tried to do it with out a circle, and I tried it on him. He won't trust me now, I turned on him and he doesn't trust me now." Her hands went to her face and Medea hoped she wasn't crying. She felt so left out, she had no idea what was going on.

Edward had a sympathetic look on his face.

"Elaina." It took her a few minutes before she finally looked up. Medea for the first time thought that perhaps she could see her age too. Maybe no more then 22.

"Is it him? Don't think about it as betraying him. Heinerich has a Door. I just want to know so I can keep him safe. Hell, Medea is an alchemist too." She sniffled although no tears came out. She looked to the floor as if humiliated.

"Yes." She looked to Roy with a nod in Medea's direction, he shrugged and muttered under his breath.

"She will probably be in this field in a few years anyways. . ." She ran a hand through her long black hair and looked at Ed who sat back down, she took her spot on the edge of the desk. Medea looked to the side, a bookcase was off in the corner, she wondered what it had.

She heard the rustle of fabric and saw Roy standing. He caught her glance and smiled.

"Let's look." It had been as if he had heard her thoughts. She grinned and followed him towards the shelf.

"I got wind of a town that was being attacked and I wasn't too far from it. I got there and. . . " She looked to the floor. "Chimera, lots of them. They were attacking people and dragging some off. You'll never guess who is back from the gate either.. . I saw Lust dragging off some girl, looked about in her younger teens." Her eyes flashed towards Medea and back.

"I went to try and free her but . . .He was there. He looked at the girl, and asked Lust about a number, she said . . .12 I think. He grabbed her by the throat . . ." She had her own hand at her throat now, barely touching it.

"He snapped her neck. Just like that. On a normal basis . . .yeah, I know. But his eyes. They were. . . I don't know. He had a purpose, a direct mission I guess. Before he didn't look like , he killed for fun or with out reason, he always had that 'Let's have some fun' look. He has some motive Edward, I don't know what he has schemed up. It's something bad though. I don't know for whom, whether its something against humans, or one of us in particular. I just don't know. " Edward closed his eyes for a second, he rubbed his face before opening them back up.

"Don't underestimate him either. I know before he wasn't exactly the brightest color of paint in the piece, but he sure got a hold of some sense this was the brains before, he acted. Like a sibling partnership. She was following orders this time Edward, She was doing it respectfully too. It wasn't because she respected him, it was because she was fearing him."

Edward thought for a few minutes."Going through the gate so many times has probably screwed him up, probably taken and given things to him. And Lust? The same one before?" She nodded.

"I think some others too. I don't know." Ed shook his head.

"I wonder who is behind them. . . " She leaned forward.

"Edward. _He_ is. There is no one else. He is the new oldest, and the most experienced. They are probably scared shitless of him. Like Lust was. Those chimera? _They _were scared shitless. You should have seen them as they came to his beck and call. Scared of doing something wrong and pissing him off."He had a look of turmoil at this. He was thinking hard, he was working through things.

"What about when you saw him? Did he say anything to you?" Her eyes went to the floor again. She looked back at Roy who had his hands clasped behind his back, he was watching Medea look through the books, a small grin on his face.

"Yeah . . .a few things. . ." She said under her breath. He leaned forward.

"Well?" He nearly demanded it.

"He had a hurt look at first, it was very brief, and then that stupid dead whore put her hands on him. . . He looked down at the girl and walked over her, he was so close. . ." She whispered out the last part.

Her fingers touched the edges of her lips. "He touched me here. Very faintly, like he had something to tell me through it. I know . . . he was apologizing. He doesn't completely hate me for using him like i did. I think part of him want's a death that he can't come back from.. . Perhaps even that his 'spawn' do it. . ." Her fingers dropped. "I also think that he wishes I hadn't betrayed him . . he longs for something that only he can have . . .as his 'spawn', I was something like that. I know it hurt him on a level that only I could have reached." She looked ready to cry again. She resumed after gathering herself.

"He said to not get in his way. That if he saw me during another 'harvest' he would kill me and he would do it with out hesitation. His eyes were not cold though, I could tell it was a show of power, the other homunculi were probably close, if it wasn't just for her. She couldn't see his eyes so he didn't have to mask them. I don't doubt that he would try to kill me however. That betrayal is raw, I could see it well, he didn't try to hide it at all." Ed nodded, his eyes briefly looking over towards Roy and his student who had a new mess out. He almost shook his head over seeing them sitting on the floor with books about them.

"What about this 'harvest'? The alchemists? What is he doing with them? Killing them somewhere?" She shook her head.

" I don't think so. I think he is killing a few and taking the rest somewhere. I can't figure out why, What would he use them for. Maybe he needs them to grow philosopher stones?" He sighed leaning back in his chair. She handed him the file just as Roy and Medea came back. She had a silly grin on her face and a small stack of books in her hands. She set them down and as she took her seat she picked one up and began reading.

He opened it and the picture that Elaina had been looking at before it flew out. It landed miraculously right in Medea's lap. She took it, looking at it. She noticed Elaina right away. She was standing in some kind of lab, a pale blue hospital gown on and her head shaved. Kneeling down beside her was a tranquil youth, she couldn't tell the gender, but they looked similar to how Elaina was now. Very white, long dark hair. The eyes caught her attention the most. Beautiful lavender seemed that they were very tired, almost as if the person would be sluggish had she seen this in person. She looked up to see them all staring at her. She blushed, handed Ed the picture back.

"S-sorry."

"Medea, have you seen him before?" She looked up. That youth had been a he then? She shook her head no although it felt as if she had.

"What was that place? Were you really sick?" Elaina turned to face her more.

"It was a really bad place. When I was about 16 I was selected by a group of scientists to perform a series experiments on my body. Against my will." She saw Edward and Roy's muscles tense. Her voice was nothing less then sweet and gentle.

"How far into the rules have you gotten with her?" Edward looked up.

"I'm going as they come up. She has a lot of common sense . . . I'll make sure she knows them well before she does any practice." She growled at him. She looked at Medea, the question popping out of her mouth like fire.

"Medea, what is Alchemy's greatest Taboo?"Her voice was purposeful, strict. Ed thought she sounded just like teacher then. He looked at Medea.

"Human . . .Transmutation . . . " She said out the corner of her mouth. She saw Edwards eyebrows come down. He sat up straighter.

"Do you know what that is?" She looked to the floor.

"Well . . .it sounds like using the human body for equivalent exchange . . .transmuting . . mutation? I don't know what one would use it for though." Medea saw a maniac grin on Elaina's face suddenly.

"That should have been the first thing you taught her Edward Elric." He looked at her, his mouth open ready to say something but she cut him off.

"Have you seen his leg?" She nodded. "Well, years and years ago he was missing his arm. These are from that, he tried to commit this taboo, him and his brother." Medea's eyes went wide. Al had said he had lost his body.

"Ah so you did tell her somewhat. . ." Medea looked at Edward. He was watching her with a calm expression.

"Do you want to know?" She nodded, forgetting about the whole asking him in 6 years deal.

"Our mother died, we tried to bring her back." Her eyes went wide, she didn't know how to react, so she looked to the floor.

"The price was a life. A life for a life and then some, that was the equivalence. A portal, or what we call The Gate, opened up and it took Al altogether and it took my leg to show me the Truth. I lost my arm bringing his soul back, and blood bond sealing it to a suit of armor." She couldn't believe this. It was so wild, she could hardly comprehend it. He was her hero, she couldn't be disappointed with him. Not even if she tried.

"Medea?" She looked up at him. Her hand reached out.

"It's alright. I'll learn from your mistakes and won't do that. I like my limbs anyways." He rolled his eyes and scoffed.

"You shouldn't joke about it." She nodded.

"That's not the only thing that happens however. Nor is the only kind of human transmutation." She looked to Elaina who was watching Edward.

"I don't think she needs to learn about that right now."

"She is an Alchemist, don't you think she should know what's going to possibly kidnap her?" Medea's heart sped up. She hadn't even thought about that. Edward sat up straight.

"Nothing is going to kidnap her. I won't let that bastard near my son, and I sure as hell wouldn't let it near my daughter either." Her eyes flashed to Ed, Medea thought tears would come into her eyes.

Elaina took that picture from the file in his lap and gave it to Medea.

"When Human Transmutation occurs, and the Gate is open, something always passes through. We call these Homunculi, or a Homunculus for singular. They are not human, immortal creatures with inhuman strengths and abilities. Common characteristics are deathly white skin, bright purple eyes, and the mark of the ouroboros. Look back at that picture, look at his left thigh." She looked down at it. She noted the fair skin, his eyes of course. His thigh however had a strange red marking on it. A dragon eating its tail was what it looked like. The sign of Immortality. Her eyes widened.

"You mean this guy is one of those?" She nodded.

"They are all very dangerous Medea. You can not trust any of them. They are out for nothing but bloodshed and hatred and ridiculous revenge." Elaina looked at Ed.

"That's so wrong! He didn't kill anyone for almost two years while I was with him."

"The first year you two were caged up." She gritted her teeth at him. "Yeah, and you know what? I'm basically just the same as him, you bastard. So you would be saying you can't trust me, that I am out for nothing more then bloodshed and hatred." She was furious with him. Edward took a hurt look, and he shook his head.

"You aren't the same Elaina, you are alive, and you think and breathe life, you live life. That is the difference. Life. He is of death, that's what his existence is for, death." She shook her head this time, a fist coming down on the wooden desk.

"Roy knows what I'm talking about. You know he thought of me as his own after what happened there. His spawn was what he called me. You know that's his equal to child, I was his child. If it hadn't been for this creature that you deem so evil, so hateful and wrong . . .then I would have never made it out of those labs alive. Not ever." Her eyes were staring straight into Ed's unblinking they stared each other down.

Medea looked to Roy who had his head resting on a white gloved hand, his eye closed. Elaina leaned back and gently ran her fingers through his black hair. He didn't open his eye, was he asleep? Medea looked at Elaina's face, she really adored the look she had. A calm natural look. It made her think that maybe they were more close then she had originally thought.

She ran a pale finger down his cheek and he opened his eye sleepily.

"Go lay down, I'll organize the papers , that should make them a little quicker to sign." He grinned to her, kissing her finger.

"Are you sure? I don't want any fist fighting amongst you kids in here." She smiled leaning down and nuzzling his head.

"I'm positive that if you don't go lay down that I'll super glue everything to your desk." She said it was the lightest of tones, her voice sweet and gentle despite the threat. Medea almost smiled.

"Alright alright, and . . .make sure Pam doesn't get in here. She always messes around with my filing. . . " Medea saw Elaina roll her eyes and mouth _'what filing?'._

Medea looked to Edward as Roy got up and slowly made his way to a door that exited at the side. He had a look that showed how much he was thinking. He suddenly stood up.

"We are leaving, come on Medea." Elaina stood then too.

"Don't you have to go say hello to Major Armstrong or Riza even?" He gave her a look, and nodded.

"Then let me take Medea, we can go shopping, have some girl time. She looks like she came from some dirty farm." Medea blushed, and Edward chuckled.

"Risembool . . .nothing but farms." Elaina rolled her eyes.

"What ever. So what do you say? Could be good for her to go out with another lady." He scoffed but seemed to ponder it.

"What do you think? Do you want to go with her? You can say no if you want. It's fine, you won't hurt anyone's feelings." She looked wide eyed at him before Elaina who was grinning rather smug like.

"I-I guess if it's ok . . .I wouldn't mind going with her.. ." He smiled and brought her in for a hug.

"I'll be pretty near, so if you want me just tell her." He gave a mean look to Elaina. She put her gloved hands up.

"I'll be good, we will have some safe fun. Probably just show her around central, shop some, I'll take her out for lunch, she'll have a good time." She said all this while stacking the papers on Roy's messy desk. She ran through them by one finger and pulled out a page every now and then and placed it somewhere else in the stack and finally setting the neat pile in the center of his desk.

"Sounds like fun." He winked at Medea before pulling her in for another hug. Elaina was straightening the rest of the desk up.

"I want her back here before dark, do you understand me?" Medea looked at Elaina who was surprised to see the desk was perfect. Elaina waved her hand at him.

"Yeah yeah, we'll be here." Edward sighed.

"Alright . . ." He slowly made his way to the door with Medea wide eyed watching him.

"Bye . . . " She mumbled under her breath as he left. She felt an arm around her.

"We will have _so _much fun. I've been waiting for another gal to come around you know. Riza is here but she is more one of the guys then anything. It's fun to take her out for dinner though." She trailed off and Medea's eyes were laarge while watching her. She was still very intimidating to her.

She looked up at her only to see Elaina looking off at the door where Roy had gone.

"We'll go . . .I just wanna see real quick, k?" Medea nodded and followed her as she went to the door, cracked it open and peeked her head in. Medea saw that it was a small room, a fold out bed that looked like it came out of a couch was pushed to one wall. Roy was laying on his stomach with only a white shirt and the blue uniform pants. His boots were on still as well.

Elaina walked in quietly, Medea saw the sweetest look on her face yet as she sat on the edge of the bed. She ran her fingers through his already bed hair. She smiled as he sighed and turned his head to look up at her. She leaned down and kissed his forehead.

"I'm taking Miss Richiev out for a bit while Ed . . .reunites with old buddies. I'll be back around dark." He grunted and she smirked. She got up to leave but he grabbed her wrist and yanked her back on the bed. Medea heard her giggle and leaned back against the wall on the outside of the room to give them privacy.

Roy gave her a look and she laughed.

"Oh am I forgetting something?" He nodded cutely and she chuckled. She nuzzled his forehead before sliding down to his eye level. She slowly took the eye patch off and kissed above his left eyebrow. She gave a smirk before his arm wrapped around her waist and brought her to his mouth. They kissed once and then she pecked his mouth once in a strict fashion before getting up. He snuggled into the pillow and she sighed, a satisfied look on her face.

"Be back later, love you, sleep well." She made it to the door way when he cleared his throat. She sighed, defeated.

"Damn it . . " She walked back and handed it to him. He sat up and took it gently, a small smile on his face. Medea peeked right as he laid back down, his hair falling over his eye. She patted his head one more time before turning around and making her way to the door. Right as she was about to go through,

"Love you." Roy had mumbled it, she had barely caught it and was very glad she had. Medea looked to Elaina as she gently closed the door a love struck look about her beautiful face. She caught Medea's eyes and Medea beamed to her. She gave her a half lidded smirk and motioned for the door.

"He often over works himself, don't know what he would do if I wasn't here to take care of him. .. oi. Probably give Riza grays before me." She laughed a little before Medea looked over to her stack of books that Roy had said she could have.

"When we come back we can get them, don't worry sugar." Medea blushed at how fond Elaina was being with her. She approved for sure. She thought that maybe she could be a person to look up to as well.

The were out in the waiting office, the secretary Pam was still typing. She looked up at Elaina and noted that Medea was with her.

"Ah, I was wondering what happened to that girl. . ." She said under her breath. Medea hadn't heard her, and wouldn't have unless she was right beside the woman.

"You should keep your nose where it belongs. Your work." Elaina's voice rose like thunder and struck like lightening. She had heard her from that far, and she didn't like nosy people. Pam gave a scared eye and then began to type furiously.

"Also, the Fuhrer wants no one in his off right now, that means you too. I better not have smelled you were in there or else. And trust me _Pamela,_ there are worse things then losing your job." Elaina left it as that and they walked out of the white doors to a Havoc that was smoking a new cigarette.

What had she meant by smell? Medea found that was a very odd thing to say. She looked to Havoc who was fully alert now. He stood straighter, his boots together with a salute and all.

"Ma'am." She smiled and nodded.

"First Lieutenant Havoc . . ." She put her gloved hands on her hips. "The Fuhrer is . . .well, not at attention at the moment. This is a weak position, he is only human after all. Be sure to be . . . more on guard then normal. Sound fine to you?" Her sickly sweet voice wrapping around him. He nodded vigorously to her. His eyes shown the respect for her and Medea wondered what her rank was.

"Good, have a good shift Lieutenant." He nodded and they walked off, Medea thought he may have said the same back to her.

She heard the clacking of Elaina's boots and then a second pair behind them. Elaina stopped and with out turning around.

"Lieutenant Colonel Hawkeye. How are you?" Elaina turned around and Medea saw the officer like woman. She stood tall and erect. Proud, her hair was blond and pinned back behind her head. Her tough brown eyes looked to Medea who looked to the ground.

"It's been a long day, Major, is this . . .?" Elaina nodded.

"Medea Richiev, Fullmetal's apprentice. Dashing right?" Hawkeye looked back to Medea. She suddenly held a white gloved hand out to her.

She shyly took it, Hawkeye's grip was strong.

"Nice to meet you Miss Richiev."She nodded politely back to her. Elaina had a strange look about her. A fond one, pleasant, but strange all the same.

"Edward is letting me take her out to see the city, its her first time apparently." Hawkeye looked to Elaina.

"That ought to be nice then." Elaina nodded. It was odd for Medea to see her having a decent and seemingly regular conversation. She fought and argued with Ed and then she was threatening to Havoc and Pamela . . .and now she was chatting real pleasantly with this scary blond lady. She was a strange woman for sure.

"Oh, I'm sure Edward would like to see you before he leaves. . .if you haven't already seen him that is." She chuckled as she said it.

"Yes, I caught eye of him, I think he and I will have a chat soon though. . ." They both nodded, strange gleams in their eyes.

"Well, we better get going, talk to you later Riza." A nod from Hawkeye. "Then same here, take care Elaina." They waved and Medea was near dumbfounded. First name basis too? How good of friends were they?

'_Hadn't she mentioned that a Riza took care of the Fuhrer when she didn't? Then could that have been her?' _So many things were on Medea's mind, she sighed and followed Elaina. Once out the doors they were off onto Medea's newest adventure. City shopping.

* * *

**It's thrown together, hope its decent. Also . . I'm a near die hard Riza/Roy fan, but for the course of this it has to be my other oc thats married to him. Thank you for reading 3**


	7. Stepping Along

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from FMA or from the creators of it.**

**A Heart Dressed in Wicked**

**Chapter 6.) Stepping Along**

* * *

Havoc, Fuery, and Armstrong watched the red flash back and forth as Edward paced up and down the hallway. It was almost 8:30 pm and neither Medea or Elaina were back yet. Fuery raised his hand to say something but stopped himself as Ed passed him, a furious look on his face.

"I told her _before_ dark!" He made a rather rude sound and kept his pace up. Only about a few feet away was the white doors that led to the waiting office of the Fuhrer's Quarters. One of the white doors creaked open and a sleepy looking Roy came out, he was in nothing more then he had gone to bed with and all three of the awaitees peered at him with awed expressions. He fixed his eye patch ran a hand through his hair to slick it back and folded his arms, a new expression of sudden grouchiness coming upon his pale face.

"Fullmetal . . . what are you doing scuffing my floors?" Havoc and Fuery tried to not laugh at the motherly tone the Fuhrer took with him, as if an irritated mother hen, picking on her chick.

Ed threw his arms up. His expression was nothing less then angry.

"I told her _before _dark, and it's," He pulled his watch out and looked at it,"8:34!" He growled and Armstrong's brow went up at him.

Roy looked at his ripped and surprising clothed Major, he gave him a nod towards Edward and wondrous blue eyes sparkled. He walked up behind Edward and grabbed him up, holding his strong arms around the frustrated blond.

"What are you doing? Put me down right now!" He heard clacking of heels and laughter, feminine laughter and his face went red, he looked at Roy who had some how known before they were on the floor. He kicked around furiously,

"ARMSTRONG PUT ME DOWN! ELAINA I'M GOING TO THROW YOU DOWN THOSE STAIRS AND-!" The rest of his threats were muffled as Armstrong's huge hand covered over his mouth, making him all the more angry.

The laughter grew louder and as the two women grew nearer, Edward grew more quiet. The hand was removed and his mouth hung open.

Medea absolutely sparkled. Instead of her dark straight shirt like dress, she wore a very form fitting white lace dress that ended right above her knees. Although she barely had much more form then a boy, it was still lovely on her. Her hair was pulled up in a delicate bun with curls on either side of her head and pretty little white flowers stuck artistically from her bun. Havoc gaped at her himself, the cigarette in his mouth near falling.

"Look Dee, you have them all drooling now, told ya so." Elaina laughed as Medea became red in the face, embarrassed that they were staring.

Armstrong looked back to Roy who nodded , allowing Ed to be set down. Roy slowly walked up to the ladies, his coat slung over his shoulder. He gave Elaina a kiss on the cheek,

"Did you girls have fun?" Elaina smiled looking down at Medea, who nodded vigorously.

"I had a lot of fun, it was nice to just relax and be a lady for while." She nodded with a smile at the end.

Elaina suddenly had a look of faint despair.

"You'll never believe it, she works on a dirty farm! With real sheep and horses and chickens and stuff, she gets dirty with all kinds of gross stuff it's terrible!" She shuddered at the thought of scooping horse poop.

Roy suddenly laughed looking back at his commandeers.

"I think the only thing close to that that you have done was pick up after Black Hayate." She shuddered again. Medea smiled at both Roy and Elaina and then walked over to Edward who was looking down at his shoes.

"Hey." She said simply, trying to get his attention. He looked at her first, she was about to say something to him when he suddenly gave her the sweetest smile she had ever seen from him.

"You know, I never really thought about how girls might want a break in a different sense then just taking a day off and sitting around the house. .." She chuckled at him.

"Thinking about bringing Winry out some?" Actually, he hadn't at all. He felt guilty that his wife hadn't crossed his mind, but shoved it away, he figured that he would deal with it later.

"I think I'll take you both out to town a little more. I don't know about taking her to central . . .unless I dropped her off somewhere. . ." He eyeballed Elaina for a second.

"Do they fight?" His eyebrows went up , Elaina and Roy were kissing in the hallway and the boys were cat calling.

"Nah, I wished . . They actually conspire things against me and Al, they are really bad together cause of it. . .With Winry's wrenches and Elaina's electric-" He stopped and looked at Medea, a whoops look apparent on his face.

She smiled, "It's alright, I already know. She had an. .. um . . accident earlier . . ." She started to laugh and Ed pegged that no one died.

* * *

_Strangers of all sorts bumped into me and I couldn't help but wonder how someone could stand this. Of course I took into thought that this was the first time in a city, and this many people . . ._

_I looked to Elaina, a grin on her beautiful face. I couldn't help but admire her. . . She stopped on the sidewalk and pointed._

"_Look, Dee," A nickname she picked up for me suddenly," that's an awful cute looking cafe . . .wanna try it out?" She didn't wait for my answer, she herded me over there, sitting me down in a rather .. .well, cute white wiry looking chair. It had a small table to matched it and three other chairs. She sat in front of me with the silliest expression on her face._

"_When I was about your age, I used to come to these tiny outside cafe's and they would hire me to sing for them for a short while. I used to get tips and made pretty good money doing that." I was instantly interested._

"_Wow, really? " She smiled and nodded to me. A waiter came to them and I couldn't help but blush as I looked to his face, for the first time I thought that some one was cute. I had always known that Edward was handsome, Al too, but cute was new. I caught Elaina's look and blushed deeper. She had a strange mask of mischievousness, and I instantly grew worried._

"_I think I want to try the lemon ginseng tea with the truffles . . .just bring us a few of them all." I looked up at the blond waiter again, he had hearts in his eyes, no doubt he too saw how beautiful Elaina was._

"_What do you want Dee? You can pick anything and as much of it." She gave me a wink and motioned for me to talk to the waiter. I realized what she was up to, I wasn't exactly ignorant, as I was handed the small pale yellow menu. Dainty pink flowers adorned the corners and added to the cute and feminine appeal._

"_I-I think that this one. . ." I pointed to a jumble of words, I was definitely having trouble seeing them while under pressure. It was a crossed tea._

"_Ah the honey and jasmine, personally that is my favorite Miss." I felt my blush return as he gave his opinion. His voice was rather high and his words were extremely enunciated. I gulped and nodded. _

"_Will that be all Ladies?" Elaina waved her hand,_

"_Probably, thanks." He nodded and left and I looked up and caught eyes with Elaina. Her expression was a 'phew' and her eyes appeared thunderous._

"_Man, dead end there, he totally has boyfriends. . ." She said under her voice. I couldn't help but shiver, _

"_That's not very nice. .. " Elaina laughed. "But so true. Check that sway in his hips." I turned to see him walking towards the building part of the cafe. I suddenly heard the waiters voice in my ear and I jumped, completely surprised and off guard._

" _Oh boys, here I am!" As I turned I saw that it was only Elaina, of course it had been since I had been looking at the waiter. . . _

"_Wow! You matched his voice to a T, that's amazing . . ." Elaina laughed before suddenly becoming silent. I wondered what was wrong with her._

"_Elaina?" She took on a look of sadness and I could hardly stand it on her. Her bright blue eyes grew more of a lavender look, like a purple flower blossoming in an ocean._

"_Guess I am more like him then I thought. . ." She muttered. I thought back to the fight before._

_Did this have something to do with before? That Homo . . .Homunculus? Come to think of it, the more I saw different angles of her face the more she appeared like the one in the picture, I remembered that it was resting in my pocket. I pulled it out and handed it over the table to her._

"_I never gave this back. . ." Elaina looked at it a moment before taking it. She looked at it for a long time, I saw one of her gloved fingers go over the picture where she thought that the boy or whatever, had been. I was surprised when she handed it back._

"_I want you to keep it. Maybe it will bring you some kind of . . . luck." She turned her eyes away, clearly not up for answering questions._

"_Try to keep it on you somewhere." Her voice was rather strange too. . . .I did as I was told however and slid it into the pocket of my new dress just as the waiter came back with a tray on wheels._

"_Sorry for the wait ladies. Lucky to have such beautiful weather today!" Elaina nodded rather cheerfully as he set up the tea for us and placed a sparkling platter of many different colors and flavors of truffles on our table. Elaina looked nothing short of delighted. Then another waiter walked buy with a very intricately designed cake and her eyes went large._

"_Oh if that's available we will have some of it too." She looked so pleased when he nodded and took the cart back to the building._

_She winked at me with a silly grin. "We are gonna be so hyped up on sugar! We should save some in some doggy bags for the boys, they'd love this stuff." She said this while eating a few truffles, I reached to the glass bowl and picked up a brown one with white lines on it. I took a bite and it had caramel in it. . .it was so delicious. I had never really had one before so this was a real treat. _

_I leaned back and closed my eyes as I popped the rest of it in my mouth._

"_Wow. . .so good." Elaina laughed and nodded before her eyes went large._

"_No way. . .was that. . . " She gasped here," You first?" I wanted to laugh at how dramatic she was being. I thought back to Roy, thinking about his personality, he seemed so laid back and carefree. . .it was such a complimenting opposite that I wondered if that's how they got along so well._

"_Yeah, guess it was. And this is going to be my second." I giggled as I picked up a white one. She started to giggle too but stopped. She stared at the bowl, almost as if examining it._

"_Glass. . ." She stated under her breath. I was suddenly pulled into watching her as she snuck a look around her, as if asking something. She then, albeit extremely slowly,pulled her left leather glove off. I was sure my eyes were huge as I watched her. She pulled off the other and as if to be extremely cautious she placed them directly in front of her._

_She held her hands out before her, rubbing them in places and moving her fingers. The palms were nothing but one massive burn. I knew my mouth was hanging open a little, I couldn't help it. The burns on her palms seemed to travel up between her fingers a little as if she had held acid and let it drip between them. On the outside, the tops of her pale hands had a few little trailing burns but other then that they were fine._

"_I saw you working through Roy's gloves earlier. What do you think they are for?" I almost jumped as her sultry voice came into hearing and I looked up at her. Her look wasn't irritated or angry, it was intrigued and curious._

_I thought back to it._

"_Well, the symbols were for water and air." She grinned and I wondered if I was right. I was for she nodded her for me to go on._

"_But, the water looked like . . .the symbols were for splitting or separating. So splitting water atoms?" She smiled and nodded._

"_And the air is possibly oxy . . .gen? I haven't gotten too far in this part, so I half guessing from my inference. There was a flame symbol too. I'm not sure where this comes in . . ." She laughed, a strange sparkle in her eyes._

"_The cake is coming so think about it for a second, you are almost there." I looked down at my lap so I wouldn't get distracted. Splitting water atoms . . . oxygen and fire. . . .OH!_

"_Splitting the water in the air to make room for more oxygen to create whats probably a blast of hot air or even flame!" I was breathing hard from excitement the waiter's eyes were large and Elaina had a huge smirk on her face._

"_That's it! You got it! Oh I'm so proud." She laughed and reached out to take the cake from the poor waiter. She touched the metal on the cart and a loud ZZZP was heard. A sizzle followed and I wondered what exactly had happened._

_Electrical currents. That's what that had been. From what though?_

_The waiter's hair stood on end and Elaina's hands were at her mouth. She stood up and_

"_I'm so sorry. . .are you alright?" She had little tears in her eyes._

"_That was some static shock . . .dusting might help." I came in for the rescue. . .hopefully. The waiter shook his head a little, swayed and then gave a goofy smile._

"_Wow. .. " He chuckled a little, as if unsure where he was at or what had happened. Elaina quickly paid, pushing the piece of paper over to the waiter so they wouldn't have to touch. He took it and bowed politely._

"_Thank you ladies. Enjoy your stay at Comical Inn." He took the cart away._

"_Um . . this is a cafe. .. " Elaina let out a breath._

"_He was just a little confused. . I'm sure he will be ok." We looked at each other. She started to laugh nervously then before long we were both laughing loudly._

"_You did that didn't you?" She looked serious suddenly looking around._

_She held out her hands for me to see but not close enough to touch._

"_Remember when we were talking about human transmutation? This is one of those things. Altering and mutating the human body." I nodded to show I was following. _

"_Electrical currents flow through everyone's body, but in mine they are channeled and held inside me. Like a sponge for energy. I conduct it. It makes touching things and people a hell . . .but it comes in handy in a fight at least." She took a sad tone in that sentence and I wondered if she could touch Roy with out her gloves. Or anyone for that matter._

"_So what had Edward meant by all that 'you look like so and so' stuff?" She took a darker expression. She took a sip of her tea and leaned forward._

"_I'm going to tell you because I trust you. Ok?" I nodded with solemn eyes._

"_In short, the scientists took genes from a homunculus and they engaged them into different species. One of those species was human. All other species died when mutation from these genes occurred, however, the human did not. It was a long and horrible process but the human came out with certain characteristics that the homunculus that the genes came from." _

_So . . . she was part of that homunculus?_

"_What characteristics were changed?" She took a bite out of the cake and moaned, rolling her eyes, I was trying to not laugh, she was pretty funny. I took a small drink of the tea, it was amazing._

"_Well," She took a bite." Neid can shape-shift, and has this uncanny ability to bend and flex. Now I can take any joint out of socket and can shove myself into tiny places, before I was stiffer then an old woman." She grinned._

_Neid? Was that it's name?_

"_As for shape-shifting. . .eh, I don't think I can. Hope not anyways. I can do the voices. You heard me before with the waiter." She took a pause and drank some more of her tea._

"_Edward Elric! You get back here this instant!" I shivered as I heard Winry's voice come out of Elaina's mouth. It was kinda scary._

"_Did you see where I put my cigarettes. . . I know they are around here somewhere . . " It was Havoc._

"_Just a bit of sibling rivalry . . ." Roy._

"_I can imitate anyone. So can he, and it's worse then that." I couldn't help but eat a truffle while listening. How worse? _

"_He can be anyone at anytime." I swallowed the truffle. What . . ?_

"_I told you he was a shape-shifter, that's what he can do. He can change into any person. So not only does he look like them, he sounds like them too. And he is so adaptive that he can even take in their personality. A chameleon of sorts." She looked down into her tea._

"_Elaina, why did you give me that picture? The real reason?" Elaina slowly looked up at me, the emotion was raw in her stormy eyes._

"_I feel something for you. I don't know what it is, but I know it's very important. I want you to keep that photo in hopes that. . ." She looked back down._

"_That maybe he will see it and he won't kill you." She had whispered it before swallowing hard. My heart felt like it had stopped. She thought, no she knew, that I was going to cross this creature. She felt so confident that it would happen that she was planning ahead already._

"_You don't think that with Edward that I'll be safe?" She scoffed._

"_Honey, Edward had a hard time with him before, back when he could do alchemy. Neid is so much more stronger now and Ed can't do alchemy anymore." She was watching me, probably wondered how I was to react._

_I nodded to her. I had to except this. I was scared but I knew that her judgment was probably the safest bet I had._

"_So you think that if I have this picture and he sees it that I won't be killed? Hm . . " That was the best of holds.. ._

"_Don't think of it as a life line. It's no guarantee, he and I aren't on the best of terms right now. It's just better then not having it." Great, that was even worse._

* * *

Medea had only informed him on the accident part how ever, leaving the rest of the memory to herself. She didn't want to dwell on the negative part and swore that she wouldn't let Edward in on it, it would only cause him more stress and grief. She didn't want to think that there was a count down on her life or anything, she wouldn't believe that anything was set in stone.

He started to laugh, a silly grin settling on his face.

"Yeah, sounds just like her. Forgetting about it." She smiled back, looking behind her only to have Edward turn her head back towards him.

He motioned for them to go back to the Fuhrer's office, she remembered her books were in there.

"So did you have a good time with your friends here? I was a little worried to leave you here all by yourself . . ." He gave her an incredulous look before laughing.

"Yes mommy, I had a wonderful time with my friends her- hey, that wasn't a short joke was it?" She laughed this time shaking her head a little. She noticed that the secretary was still there. She couldn't help but look over at her. She wasn't typing how ever, she was rummaging through the desk drawers and pulling out papers and files and as if she couldn't find something.

Medea stopped, watching her and this peculiar behavior. Edward kept going however, he hadn't noticed she had stopped.

Pamela had been a precise and organized woman, very immaculate and clean. Now she was just acting bizarre. Suddenly Pamela looked up, her gaze unlike before, this one was . . .she couldn't place it, it was just something wrong. She stared at Medea as if she were some kind of exhibit. She placed her chin on her hands, what ever she had been searching for completely out of her mind now, her full and strange attention was on Medea.

This gaze sent a tingle through Medea, made her skin crawl. She couldn't place what was wrong, but she couldn't look away just yet.

"Medea?" It was Edward's voice, she turned to look at him, he was waiting with the door open. With out looking back at Pam she walked towards him and into the room. She made a bee line for her pile of books. She stood in front of them, staring. She suddenly jumped as she heard the door close and she looked around, her eyes wide.

"Geez, whats got you so jumpy?" Edward had a worried look on his face. She shook her head to tell him nothing as she bent over to pick them up. He moved past her however and picked them up for her. He turned towards the door and he caught her hesitate a little. He looked at her with a questioning look and she just looked at her shoes. How could she tell him she had a bad feeling about Pam? That on a hunch she felt that something was off?

They heard running footsteps and a few shouts and Ed's brow came down. He set the books down and walked to the door. He motioned for her to stay put as the door swung open.

It was Elaina, Roy and Armstrong, Roy walked to his desk pulling out one of the drawers. Medea looked at him with large eyes, knowing the fear shown in them.

"It's Pam isn't it?" He stopped what he was doing at looked to her. Edward and the others grew silent too.

"We came in here, she was acting strange. It sounds stupid I know . . ." Roy gave her a reassuring look before he peered over to Elaina. She nodded and came up behind Medea. She put a gloved hand on her shoulder.

"Sugar, in that room over there, there should be a duffel bag under the pull out mattress. Would you go get it for me?" Medea nodded, she wondered if they were going to discuss it. It seemed that they always wanted to get rid of her when something important came up . . it wasn't like she was going to tell anyone.

She ran to that bedroom that Roy had been in and stopped before going in. It was dark. She took a breath and looked back towards Elaina and Roy who were leaning over the desk talking in hushed voices. They had very serious expressions, it scared her all the more.

She closed her eyes and slide her hand along the wall, trying to look for the light switch. She couldn't believe how scared she was. She looked over at Edward just in time to see him wave to Roy and leave with the big man. She thought she felt tears in her eyes, she didn't want him to leave her here.

She closed her eyes thinking about her 'mission'. Her hand reached along the wall again trying to find the light switch. She jumped and let out a small cry as she felt someone's arm around her. She looked up to a smiling Fuhrer, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and brought her in the room. He flipped the switch on the wall, she had only been a few inches off, and left her at the door.

Elaina came up behind her, she gave her an apologetic pout.

"Sorry . . . I guess I failed. . ." Elaina shook her head. her black hair falling about her and the silvery strips gleaming int he light she held a serious look.

"No sugar, I'm sorry, I didn't realize that with all this commotion . . you aren't used to military life." Roy put the duffel bag on the bed and reached into it. He pulled out a black gun and placed it in his holster, it sent a shiver all over her body.

Elaina left her there as Roy walked back to her and Medea watched Elaina pull out a strange gauntlet. She took off both her gloves and clipped the gauntlet to her belt, her gloves tucked into a pocket. She turned around and nodded to Roy who backed out of the room, Medea on his tail.

"Where did Edward go?" Her voice was more tiny then normal, but thankfully she was heard.

"Don't worry sweety, he'll be back. He just had to go check out something with Armstrong." She assumed that was the big man. Elaina's voice told her that something was actually wrong, but Medea couldn't do anything more then just listen to these people. Elaina walked in front of Roy but stopped. The door burst open and Medea jumped, launching herself at Roy and holding onto his arm. He didn't seem to mind, but reached around with his other hand to grab those gloves from his back pocket and put them on.

It had been Lieutenant Hawkeye and some other officers with her. She held a black gun in her hand and searched the room before standing at attention next to Roy.

"The premises?" His voice tight and booming with authority. One of the attending officers, the had lined up before him, answered.

"So far clear, Sir!" He nodded, and looked to the stoic Hawkeye.

"Your duty for tonight is to make sure Medea get's to the Safe House. " She saluted him and nodded.

"Right Sir. What about Fullmetal Sir?" Roy answered with out emotion.

"He will follow soon." She looked to Medea and nodded to the door, her gun out. Medea's eyes were wide and she only held tighter to Roy's white clad arm. He looked down at her and patted her head.

"Hey, it's going to be alright. I trust Riza with my life, you can trust her with yours." She looked up at him, her eyes large and full of fear. She bit her lip and ran to Riza, holding onto a part of her blue jacket. Medea looked at Elaina who had gone back to the desk. She was talking on the black phone that had been there before nodded and hanging up. Her eyes scanned the officers attending the formatted line in front of the Fuhrer.

"Roy." Her voice steady, her eyes not leaving one of the officers. Riza immediately raised her gun and Medea heard it click and wondered if that meant ready to shoot.

"There is a car ready for you outside, take her Riza, I'll handle this situation." She quickly looked to Roy with out moving her gun. He nodded and she put her gun down, but not away, and grabbed Medea by the arm and hauled her out of the room. Medea looked behind her before the door closed just in time to hear a clap and a loud crackle, the hair on the back of her neck rose as she saw a flash of bright lavender light.

She looked at the mess of a desk where Pamela had been, she wasn't there now.

"What's going on?" Riza didn't answer her only motioned for her to be quiet as she raised her gun up, sliding against the wall before kicking the door open and pointing her gun down both ends of the hallway.

She grabbed her arm again and moved down the hallway towards the way that Edward had first brought her and she wondered more why everyone was acting this way.

"Please tell me!" Riza stopped and turned to her. An angry look in her eyes.

"This is military business, I need you to be very quiet. Extremely quiet. We have to get to that car before someone else does." Someone else? What was going on!

Riza near dragged her down the stairs, she was taking wide strides. Medea's breath became ragged as she became tired out quickly not used to so much stress and use of her body. She was glad to see the huge front doors and and tried to not give Riza anymore trouble. However Riza stopped, pointing her gun. Medea looked over trying to see what it was and all she could see was . . .blood?

Blood was everywhere in splatters and pools. Officers laid everywhere, she assumed dead.

A room full of dead . . . men.. . .

* * *

**Alright so it's not the best chapter ever, but at least something exciting! Right? Maybe?  
Well, don't worry, cause if you caught the fact that this was the first interaction between Envy and the other characters then I'm doing alright. . .if not I guess ask me . . .I might cry though XD (HINT: Pamela )  
Also, review please, critism, ideas, thoughts, I don't care, reviews not only help me know what my readers are thinking/feeling, but also help this story : D**

**PS: next chapter Envy is really in it. . .woot : D  
**


	8. Dark Forest

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from FMA or from the creators of it.**

**A Heart Dressed in Wicked**

**Chapter 7.) Dark Forest  
**

**

* * *

**

The car ride had been something of a hell for her. She had managed to stay on her feet and 'conscious', she wasn't sure how though as she could see roaming black splotches ruining her sight, making the panic in her a little more accessible. At the moment she figured she must be in shock . . she couldn't feel anything at all. She only knew that that room had been covered in blood and bodies and a few detached parts . . .a vicious killing.

Riza was driving and Medea had the back seat all to herself. She didn't see what they were passing, didn't hear the noises outside, nothing but the black leather seating next to her and the sound of the tires on paved roads was noticeable to her. She felt cold though, she thought perhaps this was a start, feeling something. The car suddenly peeled out and the road became a rocky dust path.

"What's a safe house?" She thought it had probably been redundant question . . but she wanted someone to talk to her, nearly needed some kind of life that was not restricted from her.

After a few long seconds Riza sighed, looking back at her briefly through the rear view mirror.

"Roy has several of them, they are houses that have no addresses, as in no one but a select few know where. In saying this, only about one house per person is the plan." Medea thought that was pretty smart of Roy . . .

"The one we are going to is one of his most secluded, in a few minutes there wont even be a road to follow. He must really believe you are in trouble." Medea looked to Riza, well, the back of her blond head any ways. She then remembered something.

She dug in her pocket, that picture still there. She looked straight into the hazed lavender eyes of the creature in it. Pam?

"Not Roy." Riza squinted, thinking for a second.

"What?"

"Roy probably doesn't know what's going on exactly, Elaina does though." Riza had a thoughtful expression on her face.

"This is the house that Elaina picked out." Medea nodded, that wasn't Pam, it had been had Elaina called it? Neid?

"What is a Neid?" She thought perhaps it may have been a strange title, it didn't sound like a real name at all. She saw Riza's eyes search the road before it suddenly became grass. It was so dark out here in the country side, she felt a pang of homesickness suddenly.

"Did Elaina say that?" Medea nodded, but then realized Riza wouldn't be able to see it."Yes, she called the homunculus that. Is it a foreign word?" Riza cleared her throat, clearly uncomfortable with this subject.

"Uh, yes. Very foreign . . .You'll have to ask her for it's meaning however." How foreign could something be? How odd of her to say it like that. She tried to keep her balance as the terrain became rough for the tiny city car.

She laid back, no where near being comfortable though. She was trying to not think about the men . . .

"What does the house look like?" She wondered what kind of housing Elaina would choose . . .she pictured bright and frilly, something like a pink castle.

" I don't know, this is the first time going out here for it."She looked out the window, trees in her way of sight. So they were in a forest of some kind.

"How do you know how to get to it then? Who takes care of the house? Does Elaina and Roy come to it ever?" She looked out the back window, too dark to see anything but the grassy path and all those black trees.

"Slow down. First of all, I have a map. No one as far as I know comes to the house seeing as Roy, Elaina and I are the only ones who know about the house. As for them visiting, you'd have to ask them."

She sighed, sitting back right. Her pale dress seeming strange in the dark of the backseat of the car. She remembered that they had forgotten about getting baggies for the men at the base . .a random thought that had come to her she guessed. She realized something then too.

"Edward doesn't know?" It scared her a little to think about that. She saw Riza shake her head no. The car grew silent again and she tapped on the leather exterior, the taller grasses smacking against the car. After a few minutes she couldn't handle the silence and began to work possible questions out.

"So . ..how long have you known Roy and Elaina?" She wondered if that had been too personal, but was pleased when she was answered.

"I've known Roy since childhood, and Elaina . . well, I had heard about her first. That had been about. . ." She seemed to think really hard.

"Maybe 6 or 7 years ago. Then Edward had been assigned her case and it turned out in the end that he and Roy had managed to save her. Roy took her in after her parents wouldn't. So it's been about 3 or 4 years since I've known her." Medea's mouth hung open, brand new questions popping up.

"So you must be really super close with Roy? Wow!" She had a whole entire different relationship with the Fuhrer of Amestris . . .that was incredible.

"Her parents wouldn't take her after . . .the experiments?" Riza's eyes flickered back to her.

"Yes, has she told you much on it?" She muttered a small 'just a little bit' and fell silent. What sort of parents wouldn't want their child? She couldn't stay quiet about it either.

"How bad was she that her parents wouldn't take her in?" Her voice came out angry and fiery.

Riza looked around, then at the dashboard where the map was. The car came to a slow stop and Medea saw why. A fork in the 'road'. There was an old wooden sign post, rotten and sporting no message.

"Left . .." Riza muttered and pulled the car onto the left path. They'd been traveling almost 2 hours . . .

"The changes to Elaina were . . .quite disturbing, especially to the kind of people like her family. You'd have to take in the fact that they were really. . ." She paused, as if not sure she should tell her anything.

"White bread. The kind of people that have had things handed to them all their lives, everyone is beautiful and talented, everything is golden and expensive. Those kind." Medea nodded, she could see that through small specks in Elaina's personality.

"Elaina should be telling you the rest though. In short, she wasn't on good terms to begin with, and when she came back altered as she was, the odds were bad for her. Roy took her in, I guess he had made some promise to her back in those labs. That's how they became married a year later in fact."

She thought about all that, rather disappointed that she couldn't get anymore details. She would just ask Elaina later she guessed. Her heart almost stilled as she made yet another realization.

"Wait, Elaina _is _coming here right?" Riza took a hard right, Medea slid around in the back seat.

"I suppose so, could be Roy, could be both. I wasn't told much. Just to drop you off and come back."She was okay with this until the last part.

"WHAT?" Her voice having gone all high pitched, making Riza flinch.

"I am _not _staying at some strange house I've never been to, at night, by myself, while everyone is off doing things I'm not going to talk about." She was trying her best to avoid the thoughts that crept inside her, feeling that beastly panic and hysteria bubble up.

"Medea, calm down. It won't be long until either of them will come. Roy told me that I was to take you there, and come back. He wouldn't leave you there if it wasn't for the best."

She felt her heart speed up, not knowing what to do.

"There are supplies in the trunk, you'll be alright." She shook her head at Riza's words, not caring. Suddenly they broke free of the giant trees into a clearing and from there onto a dirt path following up into a drive way to a massive house.

Riza parked right in front of the large porch, huge double doors that were closed of course. They appeared massive and intricate, like gates to some strange alter dimension. Riza got out and opened the door for Medea, when she shook her head no and refused to get out, Riza gave a sigh and grabbed her by the arm, yanking her out forcibly. She closed and locked the doors so that she couldn't get back in, and Medea gave a hateful look to her blond imposer.

The trunk popped open and Riza grabbed a large brown leather duffel bag and a flashlight before she closed the trunk and walked up to the porch.

"Come on Medea, don't make me drag you up here." She stomped her foot at Riza before huffing and stomping up to the porch. A slight breeze came through, she felt it through the light fabric of her dress and realized that autumn was very close.

She heard an off sound of clicking, and one of the huge double doors opened and Riza gestured for her to go inside, it was dark in there.

Once she was shoved inside into the darkness, she heard the bag being dropped to the floor and then the sound of a match. Riza went to a near by candelabra, lighting one and taking its holder from the latch.

She gave it to Medea, motioned towards the stairs.

"I have to go to the maintenance shed to turn on the generator, I'll be back. Roy said to go up the stairs and keep right, a door with a rug out side it is where he wants you to be. Get there." She stood there frightened near out of wits, not sure how to handle this.

"Wait! You are coming back right?" Her hazel eyes wide and her lips pale as she held the candle.

With a small crisp nod, "Yes, I'll come back to check and see if the lights are working and to bring the bag up to you." Medea furrowed her brow, her heart speeding up again.

"You are seriously going to leave me out here aren't you?"Riza turned around to leave. She turned on the flashlight that she had taken from the trunk and with out looking at her,

"Seriously. So get over it and get to your post."

Her mouth hung open at those stiff words. She assumed 'post' was the room she had been assigned to find. She gave a weak sigh and moved to the large staircase. At the top it spiraled and broke off into a hall way, a large painting was in the middle on the wall. When she finally got up there she noticed it was strange warriors in metal outfits, swinging swords at each other. Strange animals and machines worked along side these weird men. . .she noticed there wasn't a woman in sight.

She shook her head and went off to the right as she was told and stared at more paintings. These were of strange men too . . .again she shook her head as the hall ended into another. She wondered which way to go when she remembered to keep right. She sighed again and went to the right. She had a mischievous thought to go purposely to a wrong room and hide there from Riza in hopes she would stay to look for her. She then realized how selfish a thought that was. What if she was needed to help out in . . . a fight? What if making Riza late cost someone's life? She grew sad at the previous thought knowing that no one else needed to die.

She kept down the hallway until she realized she wasn't walking on wood anymore. She looked down and noticed a dark red rug. She backed up a few steps to the door, noticing it was a thick dark wooded one. She propped the handled, having to twist it before giving it a shove.

It slowly peeled its way open and she walked in, looking around as best as she could with the small amount of candle light she had. The room was goregous. Several large windows all with thick golden drapes, and dark wood furniture. A dark green velvety fainting couch and the largest bed she had ever saw accompanied the room. It was mostly golden, but beige sheers made up the canopy, large fluffy pillows made it look so comfortable. She set the candle holder on the beside table, there was a small lamp there. She sat on the bed before she sighed, laying full out on it.

She hadn't meant to, but as soon as her head had touched a soft red pillow, sleep claimed her.

* * *

Medea woke up from a bar of light shining across her face, and to say the least, she was pretty pissed off. She slowly opened her eyes, realizing fully she had fell asleep. She also realized she was covered up, knowing she did not do this. The second realization was that her hair was down, and she was wearing a very large gray shirt. A man's shirt to be exact.

She gave a sigh, sitting up and looking to the table where her candle had been. It had burned to about half way, and she wondered if it had been blown out. She slowly got up and out of the large 'royal' bed. She looked around for the bag that Riza had said she'd bring and didn't see it. This gave her a small anxiety attack and for the first time she hated being so perceptive. She didn't want to think about the worst reasons why the bag wouldn't be here and decided to go look in that front room, probably something that would be called a foyer.

Once in the hallway she gave a stretch, feeling a little better. She walked on the way she had come, noticing that the hallway was so much more brighter and prettier when the sun was out. It wasn't so scary, if anything . . it was extremely homey. She turned left and found the large staircase. That's when she smelled it.

One extremely remember-able scent. The blood ran from her body.

* * *

**It's short I know it. I've had a loooot of things happen since the last chapter, sorry for it being so long until this one. I'll be working on the next chapter after this one, I'm contemplating on just making them shorter and more frequent but I'm not sure. Also, thanks so much to my reviewers,faves and alerts.**


	9. A Sun With In The Darkness

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from FMA or from the creators of it.**

**A Heart Dressed in Wicked**

**Chapter 8.) A Sun With In The Darkness**

* * *

She smiled widely as the pleasant scent of bacon and eggs wafted to her nose. She practically ran down the stairs, arms flailing a few times as she nearly fell. The windows made the large room very bright and cheery and loved it. She looked around, wondering which way to go for the food. She took a random guess and went left, going through the wooden threshold next to the staircase.

She walked into a hallway and from there the smells grew stronger, turning left again she found herself in a large kitchen.

At the far end there was a stove and there at it was a woman with long black hair, she hummed as she cooked. It was Elaina. A grin spread across her face as she walked in seemingly unnoticed. There was a wooden island and bar. Her face fell as she saw a grinning Roy with a white mug, it was steaming and assumed it was coffee.

"Sleep well?" She didn't really answer him, she gestured to her 'night gown'.

"This yours?" He grinned, that eye patch of his contrasted so starkly against his pale skin.

"Grey looks good on you." He chuckled again and Elaina came over with two large plates of bacon and eggs. She motioned for the place next to Roy.

"Toast is ready too, what do you want to drink, Honey?" She was ogling the good looking food.

"You cooked all this?" Elaina gave a tinkling laugh.

"Of course I did." She smiled bring over a pitcher of what looked like milk. Roy started to pile the food on his plate.

"So? Did you sleep well? I know it's probably pretty different then to what you are used to." She blinked, realizing that she hadn't answered him from before. She sat down next to him and he started to put food on her plate for her.

"I slept . . incredibly well. That bed was _amazing_ . . I don't even remember dreaming I slept so soundly." She stared at the good food. She licked her lips as Elaina poured her a glass of the milk.

"Well, it's yours when ever you stay here. " He gave Elaina a silly grin as she reached over to place the milk by the bacon. He grabbed her arm and pulled her in for a sweet peck.

She pulled back grabbing her own plate, sitting down on the opposite side.

"I know exactly what you mean. This was the first house I came to when I was finally out of those labs. It was home the first time I walked in." Medea had to take a moment to swallow all the food in her mouth,

"So, why such a secluded place?" She looked to Roy and then Elaina.

Elaina didn't miss a beat to answer, as if it was all some unreal story that happened to someone else.

"Well, I couldn't exactly go to my parents, and there was too much ruckus for me to handle in town. I remembered an old house that my family had owned about a hundred years ago, and with a few fix ups Roy and I lived here for a while."

She wanted to ask her about her parents really badly but wasn't sure if it was the right time or not.

Elaina smiled at her, nodding her head.

"My parents saw me as less than picture perfect, and were going to have me sent to a hospital. Roy . . .well, when you meet people through the kinds of traumatic situations the few go through, you tend to meet like minds and such. Roy and I sort of clicked, and we became fast friends. Edward too. Over time Edward and I became close like siblings, and Roy and I well . . ." She smiled at him and Medea looked at the wedding rings.

"I have never been more happy in my entire life." She said it in such a tone that no one could help but believe her. Roy grabbed her hand lovingly.

"I really did believe that I would never leave that place. It was hell for me and him both. I thought Id never see the sun again." She looked down at her food. Their hands slowly parted, Roy watching his wife with a soft gaze. Medea knew the 'him' that she mentioned too.

Elaina caught Medea's hazel eyes. She held a glistening look towards her.

"You are an alchemist, a scientist. You wonder about the things that happened there, don't you?" Medea grew still. She had been nothing less than curious about it. She nodded. Elaina gave an eerie smile.

"After breakfast you can dress and we will take a little walk. I'll tell you all about it." Medea grew instantly excited, she barely caught the inquisitive look Roy gave her. She only smiled at her husband.

* * *

He knew perfectly well that they had taken her to a Safe House, he knew where all of them were as well. He had snooped and memorized all the the rooms and hallways of each, no stranger to any of them. His eyes light up intensely, his plot coming about too slow for his tastes. He would wait until she was back to Risembool, if this was not as soon as he would like then he would make it as soon as he needed.

A small lopsided grin adorned the hateful creature's impossible beautiful face.

* * *

Breakfast had gone smooth and when it was time for Medea to get dressed, she soon sported a vibrant pretty red dress. She met Elaina out back after being shown the way by a tired but pleasant Roy, who told both girls that he would be napping while they were out and to be especially careful. This lead to a sarcastic Elaina who listed off all the things that could possibly happened, and when told to knock it off she promptly giggled. Roy gave her a kiss, and the two ladies were off.

"So where are we going?" Medea was excited to be walking outside, this was her area of course.

Elaina beamed at her, her mouth red from them being pursed.

"A small trail that leads around the property. It's pretty decent." They started off onto a beaten path, a little over grown from the neglect of having walkers and or joggers.

"So, if you have any specific questions, now would be the time to ask them." She seemed perfectly fine with all this, Medea was glad too.

"What kind of experiments besides the DNA mutations occurred?" The was a small pause while she thought.

"Many kinds. Some where to test my strength, like collapsing walls onto me, or being buried under bags of sand and brick, some to test agility, like forcing me to run so far and fast in order to be fed, or sealing me in a chamber of water to test how long I could hold my breath. Others were to test flexibility, putting me on stretchers, flints and such. And then others were to test my . . unnatural abilities." Medea's hazel eyes were like saucers, round and shiny from all the information. These were terrible things, tortured for information like this.

"Those burns on your hands?" Elaina nodded. She held out a gloved hand, that would be a story for another time though.

"They also would not feed me for days on end, I'd not see water for weeks at a time. I was so frail and weak I could hardly stand on my legs.

* * *

_The lab was dark except for some dim lights on a few test tubes full of electricity. The blue and lilac lights cast deep shadows on the terrible thin body in the 4x4x3 metal barred cage. Her skin was so pale, a bleached appearance, having not seen sun in nearly 3 years, her head shaved of all hair, and only wearing a thin white hospital gown that had dried blood and other bodily fluids. The bags under her eyes were almost black from her malnutrition, the skin sunken in. She was nothing more then the shape of her skeleton._

_Next to her was a creature not too different from her. Although he seemed relevantly healthy, his skin was just as pale. He watched her as she lay in that one spot until one of the scientists came in to move her. She was quite possibly the most pathetic thing he had ever come across and that was saying something._

_A female in a white lab coat came by and stood in front of the girl's cage, just staring at her. He wanted to burst from the cage and kill her, her and the others for trapping and forcing him to live like some animal in here. They figured out how to drug him efficiently, before he could easily pass it through or his metabolism ate through it. This time around his system was a little different. He required food but not frequently as humans and other creatures did. His metabolism ate through the great amounts of food required, however, his body stored the energy in reserves to keep him going longer with out food._

_They found a drug through his stomach acids that made him tranquil, pacified him. His mind ran as quick as it had before, his body could not._

_The scientist from before was soon joined by another, a male with a tray. It had only a biscuit and a small plastic cup of water. No doubt that damned drug was in the placed it in his cage and he waited for them to give her a tray._

_They both had departed and he even waited for them to come back. His gaze turned to her, the pitiful thin form that lay in a heap on the floor of her tiny cage. No movement, her eyes closed. One might think she was dead, however he could hear differently. She was in a sort of hibernation state, her heart beating very slowly, her breathing copying. _

_He tried his best to sit up, stretching out slowly in the cramped style of his own cage. He took the biscuit and made a 'tsk' sound towards her. Nothing happened._

"_Girl." He growled at her, already growing impatient. He waited, her eyes slowly fluttering open. She looked so sick like that. She gave him a small peer before her lids started to slowly slide close._

"_Hungry?" He knew it was a dumb question, but he wanted her eyes to stay open. He also knew that he should eat the biscuit himself, but was some how worried about this pathetic being._

'She is part of me after all . . .'_ He thought to himself. He was baffled at the pity he felt for her. He wasn't sure why he would care, it was survival of the fittest after all._

_She looked at the biscuit as if she wanted the hand that was holding it too and he nearly grinned. He set the biscuit on her side of the cage, easily snaking his hand through the bars that separated them._

"_Here." His voice just loud enough to be heard. She looked at it hungrily before closing her eyes once more. His face fell._

"_Take the damn biscuit before I change my mind." He said in a monotonous tone. He picked the biscuit back up and tossed it at her, it hit her cheek and she flinched. It rolled off and down next to her face with a dull thud._

_She opened her eyes and looked at it as if it weren't there. Then in a blink of the eye she had it half eaten, her canines glistening in the strange light of the place. He was unreasonable happy with this and took the water and dumped it outside the cage. She watched him do it as if she could kill him._

"_It's bad. You wouldn't have wanted it, trust me." His voice was lazy, he hated it. _

_

* * *

_

Elaina stopped, turning to Medea.

"I don't want you to think that he is all terrible and bad. He isn't. I also don't want you to think that it will be there when you encounter him either. With Neid. . . there is no telling what he could do, what he will think, how he will act. He is completely unpredictable." Her eyes shown care and trust in the small Medea, to whom paid her fullest attention to at the most highest level she could.

She trusted the exotic and strange Elaina even though she was nearly a stranger. However, Roy and Elaina had already proven to her in her own aspect of how trustworthy they could be.

They resumed walking and Elaina told her about the time he had given his own spare food to her, who had been nearly starving, and even how he would not allow her the small amount of water because of its negative contents. He had worried about her well being, something that no one would have guessed him capable of.

Medea felt this was an incredible achievement, how he had helped as he had. It hadn't been much but she understood how dire that little bit was to him. They got back after an hour or so of leisurely walking and talking, Medea saw that another little car was parked by the one that Elaina had said was 'Roy's', he apparently wasn't allowed to drive it though.

Then from the back entrance came a blond head and a serious look.

"Edward!" Medea ran to him, hugging him around the middle as she expressed how glad she was to see her mentor and good friend. He held her back, patting her hair, that serious tone of face still present.

"Are you alright? I was pretty worried about you all night." She gave him a reassuring look.

"Of course I am, I was here, and there isn't exactly anything out here but trees." She gave a nervous laugh, noticing that his serious no joking look had spread to Elaina.

"How many?" Medea looked to Elaina, curious as to what she meant. She looked to Edward as he answered with a solemn,

"Too many, probably about 10 or 15. They are having trouble identifying a few." Medea's already pale face went chalk white. She knew what he was talking about. She slowly pulled away, having had all of that pushed down inside her had been a bad idea. There it had festered and boiled, ready to burst. She looked to the left, her sight going gray around the edges and her hearing going fuzzy. She barely caught the worried tone of Edward's,

". . .ts gonna be o . . "

Medea fell to the ground having lost consciousness.


	10. The First Frost

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from FMA or from the creators of it.**

**A Heart Dressed in Wicked**

**Chapter 9.) The First Frost**

* * *

Tears sprinkled in her golden eyes as she hugged Elaina for what she felt like would be the last time.

"Don't worry sugar, I'll force Roy to take time off so we can visit." Elaina kissed a sniffling Medea on her dark red head. Edward smiled kindly, appreciating the view. The train pulled in and people were loading.

"Come on before we miss it altogether." He said gently, she looked at him as if to say that it wouldn't be so bad if they did.

She slowly let go of Elaina, Not taking her eyes off of the other while being led into the train. Then even as she was being lead by a rushing Edward to their car she watched outside the windows at her. Elaina waved goodbye until the windows were out of sight.

Medea leaned back, it seemed like it had been months since she and Edward had been gone. She wondered if anything had changed while they'd been gone. She sighed watching out the window as the early morning began to grow into afternoon.

"In a few years you could probably move up there you know. After you pass the Exams." Edward wanted to lighten up the mood, it certainly got her attention.

"You think I really will?" He nodded. She gave him a quirky look.

"You have to actually be able to _do_ alchemy though too. Performing it is part of the Test, Roy told me so." He grinned, sounded like Roy.

"Well I have faith that you can." He winked at her. She smiled and looked back out the window drawing little images from her breath.

"Least someone does." Edward made a snorting sound and shook his head.

"My little basket case." He leaned and ruffled her long hair. Thinking back to just a few days ago when she had her melt down. It had been his fault of course, but still. She was so young and so fragile. He hated what she had had to witness there.

* * *

"Medea Richiev!" Thus began being smothered began. Medea laughed as Darla was the first to hug her, or smother, which ever was preferred. Then Winry was next, while Darla planted kisses all over Medea's pinkish face. She laughed at the affection shown by these two women and was glad she was back.

She glanced over to Edward who smiled, nodding at her. That is until the wind blew through.

"Oh no, winter is already here, they say the first frost is coming up in a few days." Medea shivered, both from it being chilly outside but from something else as well.

She smiled at everyone as she was lead back to Darla's. She was surprised to hear that Lidia didn't live there anymore.

"Yup, so you can have her room dear." Medea was instantly bug eyed. Her own room? Wow. . . Her mouth hung open and Darla laughed.

"I know must be amazing to you." She shook her head. What was that all about? Not at all . . she had had her own just recently. One big enough to over size both the bedrooms together.

She grinned feeling foolish.

"So where is Lidia? Not married already . . " Darla had a darkened look suddenly.

"Actually, that cow of a sister of ours married that man over night with out telling anyone." Medea tried to not laugh, sounded like Lidia to be secretive like that.

"She already moved in with him then?" Darla waved her hand to signal yes. She shook her head and laughed.

* * *

She tossed and turned in Lidia's old bed, she had sort of wanted to stay at Edward's and Winry's but hadn't wanted to hurt Darla's feelings. She gave a sigh, trying desperatly to go to sleep.

* * *

_The moon was covered by ominous clouds and the night was foggy, the lake having let it loose like a monster out of its cage. I could hear the baby crying, crying and wailing. It sounded like it was hurt or cold or hungry, maybe all three and it tore me apart listening to it. I looked out a window that was so familiar yet I couldn't place what house I was in and gazed at the open fields. They were plowed and ready for their winter slumber. That baby still cried on. The first frost had come several nights before so it was terribly cold outside._

"_I'm coming baby, hold tight . . ." I spoke out loud, not caring that it made a difference, nor that the baby couldn't hear me anyways._

_I was suddenly outside, in a field, running towards the sound of the baby. Sheep that were growing their wool back bleating upon seeing me and moved out of the way slowly, they knew me and I wasn't a threat to them._

"_Come on . . .move a little faster!" I shoved a few a little roughly out of the way, I looked for the baby. . ._

_I saw nothing but sheep however. I looked and looked, searching for this crying baby and I saw nothing but but sheep and fog._

"_Where are you?" I called out for the baby although I knew and definitely wasn't expecting it to answer._

_The crying stopped and suddenly,_

"_I'm right here. . ."_

_A man's voice stated. I Turned around frightened only to have a large black wolf leaping towards me, tearing my throat out with it's large teeth!_

* * *

She awoke with a loud scream, deja vu over having this dream over and over. Darla came rushing in, making cooing noises as she tried to wipe Medea of her cold frightened sweat.

"It was just a dream baby, shhh." Her breath quickened, trying to grasp the reality. It had been so real. Each time so real.

"Why that same one!" Her voice rang out in the night, Darla trying her best to calm her trembling baby sister. She sat up more,

"I need to go see Edward." The still of the night swallowing her words before Darla shook her head.

"Hunny, wait until the morning, it's too dark for that." She ooked to Darla, her face pale and her eyes wide with fear.

"D-darla. . . will get me a glass of water p-please?" She made her voice sound extremely pathetic, inside she was scowling at herself for being so manipulative. Where had she picked up such a trait? Darla nodded and ushered away to get her baby sister what she asked. As soon as Darla was out of the room Medea rose up and straightened her nightgown before opening up the window and jumping out before taking off towards the Elric's.

* * *

There she sat in the kitchen of a tired looking Edward, handing her a cup of tea.

"I can't believe you ran all the way here with out any clothes and with out shoes. .. " He shook his head at her. She put her hand on the table with an earnest gaze as she tried her best to whisper.

"It's important Edward! The first frost! I just know it . . .something bad is going to happen!" LIttle tears prickled her eyes as she tried to make him understand, she was so frightened and she didn't even know why.

He got serious suddenly, he put his larger hand over her chilled one,

"Medea, tell me about your dream." She sniffled and nodded, she told him everything from the fog to the black wolf at the end.

He looked away, thinking. He knew something . . .

"Edward?" Her voice pleading with him. He gazed at her.

"I'll figure something out, I'll get you and the kids out of here before thursday, thats when they say the first frost is right?" She nodded, that was only three days away though. She gave a sigh a wavering one.

"I'm still scared . . ." She whispered to herself, she watched Edward get up and walk around to sit next to her. He wrapped an arm around her.

"Hey, it's going to be alright. I wouldn't let anything happen to you right?" She gave a small incline, resting her head on his shoulder. Footsteps were heard on the stairs and a sleepy Winry came in. Alarm flashed across her face,

"Is everything ok?" She whispered but it had come out quite loudly. Edward only nodded, promising silently to fill her in later.

* * *

The baby cried and cried and cried. Medea held onto her, the baby's legs kicking as she screamed. Medea's face was pale as she held on Dorothy, the new baby that Lidia had married into. She was a few months shy of a year and had curly locks of blond. She was a beautiful baby for sure. Loud too.

"Just hold her a little longer, the bottle is almost done!" Lidia looked out of sorts. Medea had never seen her sister messy in all of her life, never seen her with bags under her eyes or her hair a mess. Never a wrinkle in her dress and more so importantly never with out makeup.

Lidia rushed over, sticking the bottle of milk into the baby's mouth but not taking her. Medea almost scowled, she didn't want to play mom right now, not with her supposed to be packing for her 'lesson'. In two days was Thursday, the first frost. Edward said that tomorrow he would go to pick up Alphonse, and from there they would take her and the kids with them to go camping out by the woods a few miles away. They hadn;t told anyone where, and Edward was hoping that it was close enough to have viewing of the village and far enough to keep his children safe.

"Lidia . . ." She was about to tell her to take Dorothy but she caught the sweet look in her pretty blue eyes and couldn't help but smile at her.

"Looks like you are a natural with little ones Medea." The husband, Lucas, came home from working. She eyed him uncomfortably as he went to Lidia and kissed her. He patted her rump and went into the kitchen.

"Do you want Dorothy back?" Lidia looked to her as if she were stupid but grudgingly took her.

"I gotta go . . .I'll see about coming back later to visit though. Yake care!" She left leaving a surprised Lidia.

* * *

Edward was gone, and as he left Medea couldn't help but feel the pitting emotion of fear growing in her gut. She clenched her hand until the knuckles were white before relaxing and letting out a breath.

"Please hurry back . . ." He had made sure to leave before early light set in, no one had even woken up yet.

She sighed, turning around, she began to walk back to Darla's house, shivering as she could see her breath before her in clouds. She froze.

A snow flake drifted in front of her face, her mouth hung open. SHe picked up her pace before seeing Matthews, a box of seeds in his hands as his son held a lantern for him to see.

"Yoour up early, come to see the first frost? Oh . . look there . . snow already. . . " Her heart dropped.

"It came early?" He smiled.

"Well, you never know exactly what day, we can only estimate." He continued his way around the back of his house with his son, leaving a stunned Medea. She started to run when the scream was heard. She stopped, another scream and the sound of breaking wood. Her heart beat fast as an unnatural snarling began around her, she couldn't see what made it though.

More screams and glass breaking, she took no chance and ran for Lidia's, the closest house to go to. Fear clenched her as she stumbled over something in the darkened road, she looked back, a small scream coming from her as she saw that it was a body. A man's body. Some big black creature leaped from the side of the road at a running man, taking him down and ripping at his throat. She screamed again, turning around and tried to run. Light suddenly made the road visible as the house next to her shot up in flames, screaming and scarling all around her.

Tears ran down her pale face, she made it to Lidia's house . . . it too was on fire.

"Lidia!" She screamed, trying to go to the front door, but as soon as she made it on the porch the threshold collapsed. She heard the baby crying and suddenly gun shots were heard before they died out.

A man was running full speed down the road and she barely caught the creature that was chasing him down. She let out another cry before running through the houses, Darla . . .

She barely missed getting pounced by a dog like creature with tusks like a boar, running for her life she felt the energy begin to drain from her. She saw that Darla's house was not on fire, and that it seemed a little quieter here, but to know avail as she saw the blood splattered all over the porch. Her heart nearly went still.

"Darla?" She looked around on the porch before going to the door, a woman suddenly swinging it open.

"Well well . . .look what we have here. . . " Her breathe hitched as this pale woman with black glossy lips dressed in a tight slender black dress strutted onto the porch. A massive creature came after her, slowly dragging it's giant clawed paws over the wood, its eyes red.

"This one's light . . .far brightest. Hurts. . . ." It's voice was deep and lazy, she patted it's head like it was the family's pet dog.

"Good, Envy will be pleased to know that we have her. . . ." She grinned, a deadly sign. Medea turned, shaking her head as she tried to run off the porch she fell, misjudging the distance and twisted her ankle and letting out a terrible hurt cry.

"How pathetic . . . you don't have to do much . . .they'll kill them selves if you let them . . ." The woman's voice was thick with seduction. She scooted on the partially frozen ground, trying to get away from her. The woman was there next to her suddenly, grabbing her by her hair as the tie broke and her dark red locks flung about.

"Go get Envy, tell him I have his hen ready." She grinned, looking down at Medea. She twisted trying to get out of her grasp until she thought she might pull all her hair out.

"Who are you!" She screamed it at her.

"What do you want from me!" The woman rolled her eyes.

"You are in no position to be ordering anyone around girl, just stay quiet and you should be fine for a while." She sounded a little sarcastic but it didnt matter as Medea started to scream, loud and long shrill screams.

"LET ME GO! HELP! HELP!" She screamed so loud that she thought she might have heard herself echo across the valley. Her screams were cut short as something hard banged against her skull, nearly knocking her out.

"Shut the hell up." It was the woman's voice. She saw blackened spots and felt a little numb. Was it the cold or the fact she had her head bashed? She gave a thick swallow. Her pocket, that picture.

"Let me . . .go .. please. . . " She felt her heart beating too fast and her sight went hazy as she thought she saw pale legs.

"What is _that?"_

"He said it was her, that her light hurt him." Medea heard the strangely androgynous tone of a youth scoff as she started to wimper, her mouth quivered,

"Let me go . . . " She whined out. She felt someone kick her side, heels so probably that woman.

"I told you to shut up. You voice is annoying." She laid on the partially frozen ground, the woman having let go of her hair. She looked up with glossy gold eyes at the androgynous figure. . .she couldn't tell a tree from a tower.

Envy looked down her her though, a quirk of his androgynous mouth and a sneer,

"She is pathetic, she won't last two fucking days." He rolled eyes bright lavender eyes in a irritation.

"Maybe she will . . .are you going to take especially good care?" He gave his old sister a sarcastic look,

"Oh yes, _real good care. . ."_ He smirked as he looked down at her again, this time catching her bright golden eyes. He was surprised that she held his gaze, those orbs seeming endless and wize. He noted that her body grew stiff and he looked away.

"The chimera can finish their meals and then we will leave." He looked back down to his Hen, her fingers reached out across the dirt to him and he scoffed bfore kicking some back at her.

"Keep quiet and obey Hen, you may just live after all. . ." He rolled his eyes and left her to her unconscious state.


	11. Guilt In Unison

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from FMA or from the creators of it.**

**A Heart Dressed in Wicked**

**Chapter 10.) Guilt in Unison**

* * *

He thought that this was about the second worst thing he had ever come to.

"Oh god . . . Brother . . . " Smoke rose up like a war bidden landscape, houses were but ashes bodies strewn everywhere. Tears came to Edwards eyes as he shuddered.

"Medea!" He shouted, he could see their house up on the hill, untouched, no, he knew she had been in the village . . .and Resembool was practically gone.

He ran through the streets searching, scared that each body may be hers. Alphonse went directly to check on Winry and the kids. Edward came to Lidia's home, or what was left of it. Tears leaked down his face as he saw an ashen figure on the porch, a man . . .Lucas? He turned away, he jogged through the mess and all the death as he made his way to Darla's. He stopped once he saw a massive mound of flesh, barely breathing before him.

"What is a chimera doing here. . ." He walked up to it, its green eye slitted and its jaws barely moving with its last dying breaths. Someone had shot it.

He moved around it, Darla's was just a house away which he was glad to see was still standing. He made it to the porch, the windows all broken and the front door torn off its hinges. He could see the splatters of blood all over the porch and the threshold, he took a deep breath before rushing in. The front room was a mess, signs of struggle very apparent as things were shattered and broken. He went into the kitchen, nothing there.

"Darla?" His voice sounded off, as if he wasn't really there. He thought he wouldn't ever have to see this kind of thing again. He heard a whimper from one of the bedrooms. . .

"Medea?" He ran to it, throwing open the door, it wasn't her, nor was it Darla.

"Lidia? What. . . what happened?" She was soot covered and tracks of tears could be seen on her cheeks, she looked up at him with watery blue eyes.

"Oh Edward. . .they are all dead. . . dead. . . " She looked blankly at the floor in front of her bare blackened feet.

"Lidia." He shook his head, kneeling before her.

"What happened here? Tell me. Where is Medea? Where is Darla?" She started to shake and a whine escaped her throat.

"Oh god . . . they ate them . . .they ate them. . . she was crying and they heard her she wouldn't stay quiet and they heard! They ate them! Ate them all!" She started to scream before hyperventilation occured. He frowned, grabbing her arms and lifting her up. He trekked all the way up to the house with her slung over his shoulder.

* * *

I was afraid to open my eyes, for one I hurt all over. I also knew that I was someplace I didn't want to be and I knew it would make things worse if I panicked. I slowly slid my eyes open well, only one, the right hurt a lot and it seemed to be swollen closed. My sight was fuzzy at first but as I began to blink a little more I could see shapes and colors. My hand moved, I wiggled my fingers and found out I was laying in straw. I slowly sat up, a head ache setting in, a woman sat next to me. I looked around, most of the people in the room were rugged and dirty. Solemn and fearful. Most were men, about Ed's age seemingly though there were a few that looked older. I looked to the woman next to me, her hair was cropped and straw yellow. The room began to bounce, I had to work hard to keep myself up right. It wasn't a room . . .it was a wagon or something.

There was only about 10 or so of us in the wagon, they were in groups, possibley people they knew . . .I couldn't see anyone that I had known. Then I realized that there was a huge gap of space where a little blonde boy sat. The people literally seemed to lean away from him. I squinted, my head pounding.

"Rich? Rich!" It was Rich! Oh I was so happy. I scooted towards him as he looked up, his face expressionless. The people started to murmur but i couldn't hear them.

"Rich?" His eyes suddenly flashed a lavender, and I gasped as a purple light flooded my vision . I tried to scoot back but I was too slow, the pale fiend from before grasped my ankle and dragged me towards him. I tried to scream out for these people to help, I only got out a cry . . .they wouldn't have helped either. He held me by my long hair before taking a chunk and lifting it up for closer inspection.

"Such a nice color. . . like blood. Good for grasping too." His voice seemed to drag in tone, a rich and silky sound. His hand flashed that color and I cried out trying desperatly to get away from him as his hand was suddenly a blade.

"Oh gods! Help! " I looked to the others, frightened and tattered. Some looked hollow, all looked like they didn't eat well. They wouldn't help either. He started to cut away at my hair, pulling up chunks and slashing. I jerked away trying to escape when pain seered above my brow.

"Now look, you misbehaved and now your cut. Tsk tsk . . naughty. . . " His voice was terribley beautiful, I hated it. I hated him and his stupid voice. He yanked me up close to his face and I looked away, anywhere but his eyes or his mouth. My body started to tremble.

He suddenly grabbed my jaws and held on tight, his fingers hurting me.

"L-let gooo." It came out more so a grunt then a plea, but his fingers gripped so hard. They only grew tighter.

"Keep talking, Hen. I can break your jaws with one hand, with two fingers. Want to see?" I knew fear shown all too well on me, i felt it, the tears that swelled in my eyes and over flowed down my cheeks and over his fingers were hot and salty.

He slowly let go before resuming his play of shredding my hair. I tried to stay still and be quiet, several times I tried to wipe the blood from my face but then the fear would wave through the people and I would stop before I could. I wondered if I would get out of this alive. . .Where were we going?

* * *

When he was done her head consisted of small whisps of red hair and a lot of nicked places. Her dark red locks were strewn everywhere, the gleem of hungry people scaring her. He shoved her back over to the woman with straw colored cropped hair and she sniffled, tired, hungry, cold , in pain, and now itchy. His hand returned with fingers and he watched her with those predator like eyes, his androgynous mouth curling up from one corner at seeing her misery.

His hands went behind his head as he lounged out comfortably, grinning smugly.

"Where are we going?" She felt that she needed to be brave though her wavering voice and the shocked gasps around her said different. He ignored her. Her brow came down, she knew boys like him from the village. They acted macho around her then when she tried to speak they pretended she didn't exist. Oh if she had a rock she would throw it at him.

"I know who you are." She whispered in a scared tone, hoping it wouldn't bring the wrong kind of attention onto her. His bright eyes found their way to her, his elegant brows uneven as he gave her a questioning look.

"Oh do you now? Surely not . . .'Rich'? " She gave a heavy breath and she swallowed.

"No, I know you are. . . Neid. You are called Neid." The murmuring started up again, but she wasn't worried about that. His brows came down, his eyes flashing like storms . . . just like Elaina's had. His mouth turned into a frown. All these expressions . . .they were just like hers . . .they looked just alike.

"So that's what you were doing in Central." He didn't sound very pleased at all. Had he tracked her from there?

"All of you shut the fuck up. I didn't say you could talk." They were all quiet immediately.

She looked to him, bringing her legs up to her chin, she was so scared. How could this have happened. If only she had run more, or gone to Winry's instead.

"What do you want with me?" He suddenly looked her in the eyes, his expression void of any at all. He cocked his head, making him look like a foreign creature, more unnatural.

"Many great things, Hen. In fact your purpose is more of worth then these shit and piss bags. Worthless pieces of rotting flesh." He grinned at them all flinching and wincing at his insults.

"You are just a big bully." His eyes grew a little wide before they squinted.

"Grow some balls did we? Well I'm not amused. Keep your trap shut unless I speak to you." She felt a small flare of anger inside her.

"Who are you to talk to me like that? You can't order me around." She braced herself defensively. He growled.

"Who am I? Your fucking master, thats who, brat. You listen to me or I'll make you hurt so bad you'll wish you had." He growled again.

"You aren't my master, no one owns me!" Her eyes flew wide as he was suddenly crouched before her, gasps erupting through out the wagon all over again. He grabbed her by the throat and a squeak was all that could be heard from her. Her feet kicked out ward, right for between his legs. It should have rendered him on the floor of the wagon, wringling in pain. He grinned at her though, an evil malicious grin. Her knee didn't come incontact with anything male. . .

He brought her up close like he might kiss her but stopped short. She was scared as she saw that his teeth were sharp, not at all human teeth. His eyes slitted and the light was back, she saw Lidia.

"You are so worthless!" It was her voice, lidia's face and voice. The light came again, Darla's face.

"I'm so disappointed in you. . ." Tears came to her eyes, she couldn't breathe with his hand crushing her throat.

This time it was Father, blonde and blue eyed.

"You're nothing but a stain on my shirt. Pathetic welp." Tears overflowed as she then saw her mother.

"I should have never done it, you were such a mistake. . ." She pushed her hands forward, clenching her eye shut.

"No!" Her voice ripping through the wagon. She could see the incredible light through both her lids, and she smelt burnt something. She opened her lid and saw Envy, a giant burnt hole in his chest. Her breathing picked up as he began to heal, clearly pissed off. He didn't have to hit her as the wagon came to a stop and the harsh sunlight blinded her.

* * *

It had been almost three days since the attack on Risembool. Edward kissed Winry and his two solemn children goodbye as they left with Alphonse in a black car.

"Don't worry, everything is going to be ok." Winry gave him one last strong hug, the kids looking at their father from the tinted windows, Lidia in the passenger seat. He looked at Alphonse as Winry got in the back seat with her children.

"Elaina said she would be here by Tuesday, think you can hold out that long?" His brother's tender eyes held a lot of sorrow suddenly. Both brothers feeling guilty.

Edward nodded, his hands going into his pockets.

"Yeah, guess I'll have to . ." Al nodded.

"Take good care of them for me." Al nodded again, patting the roof of the car.

"Don't worry about them, I'll keep them safe." He slowly got into the car, a heavy weight filled Ed as he watched his family and Lidia drive away. He turned, making his way back to his empty house.

* * *

Most of her face was swollen, not to mention that her ankle was sprained and she thought that maybe a few ribs were cracked. She and the others stumbled out of the wagon as they single filed into a sloppy line into a darkened place. She couldn't see well anymore, just that the floor was dirty but cobbled and that it was musty smelling. She saw that they were being lead down a hallway and split into groups by which Neid was making. He had the woman with the straw colored hair and a man with greasy black hair go into what she thought was a room. He saw her and gestured for her and when she didn't obey he had the woman, he called her Lust, hit her in the back and shoved her forward. He looked her up and down before looking to Lust who then shoved her into the room. A door closed and the sound of locks were heard.

It wasn't a room they were in either. It was a dark smelly and cold cell. She slumped down into a corner, the floor slimey as she curled up to try and sleep. Sleeping staved off her hunger a little.

* * *

I woke to whispers, one was angry and the other was apologetic.

"Don't save her any, are you stupid? You don't survive by thinking of others Amanda. Besides, did you see the way she acted? She isn't very smart, save her the further pain she will get by letting her starve." My eye cracked open, my body felt stiff and sore. My lips were dry and cracked, but I opened them to let out a sigh. Looking forward I saw a light, a few candles. The woman and man hunched over two bowls, I smelt something sour.

"Ugh . . ." I tried to get up, but moving hurt worse. The woman held a sympathetic look. She scooped up some of what ever was in the bowl and dragged herself over.

"Here, its eggs . . .scrambled. There is water over there too. I'll get you the cup." She grabbed one of my hands but I gasped, it looked like one of the fingers was broken. She grabbed the other one instead and set the chunks of yellow eggs in it as she went to get the one wooden cup. She dipped it in the other bowl as I devoured the eggs and came to me, helping me drink the cool water.

"What's your name?" Her tone was a bit raspy, from dehydration, but it was gentle. Her eyes were green.

"Medea Richiev. You are Amanda ?" She nodded,

"So you heard . . .Amanda Storbrook." She sighed, bringing over the bowls as the grouchy greasy man curled up in a corner.

"Thats Maxum, my husband. We are from New Optain. You?" I had never heard of New Optain, I swallowed some of the water before answering.

"Resembool." Some of the water dribbled down my chin and I hastily tried to catch it with my fingers but decided not to lick it from there after seeing how dirty they were.

"Poor thing, how old are you?" I gazed up at Amanda,

"Just barely 16." My voice was soft as green eyes grew wide. She looked to Maxum.

"That makes her the youngest doesn't it?" He grunted in his corner.

"What in Amestris could you be wanted for? Just a baby . . . " She sat back thinking hard.

"Have you been making a name for yourself? Perhaps it had something to do with that . . .thing you did." Was she talking about the light? The way I had burnt Neid up? Oh he had beat my face in for it too, made my vision near blind and I couldnt breath from my nose.

"I can't do alchemy, I can read and write using knowledge from it but I've never actually _done _alchemy. I don't know what he wants with me, I don't know why I am here, where is here or anything, I don't know anything!" I started to cry not knowing why I was so worked up but It startled me when I felt arms around me. Amanda was holding me to her despite the fact we were dirty and smelly. Well I was at least.

"Shh calm down. I can't promise that you will know everything, or that we will even be alright. I do know that if you panic there is less a chance at surviving." I know it was meant to comfort but it really didn't help a lot. I heard the locks at the door and I heard metal sliding over dirt, Amanda went rigid, letting go of me. It was then I noticed she had gauze on her face, above her eyebrow, and her wrist was bound up.

"Get up." Amanda scooted away, looking to Maxum who had turned on his side to watch. I looked up to see an irritated Neid. I shook my head no. He growled looking behind him.

"Must you go against _everything_?" I raised my brows at how childish he sounded before I yelped out in pain from his hand grasping my arm and yanking me up. I saw Lust in the door way,

"Female, come with me." I saw Amanda get up as I was dragged down the hall. A few turns and he kicked opened a door and threw me in the room. I cried out as I hit the floor roughly. He strutted over to a large basin where he dipped his hand in and brough it back out cupped. He threw liquid at me, I guessed it was water.

"Undress and get in. If you don't obey I'll dump you in boiling water." I swallowed and he quirked an eyebrow at me.

"Oh? Do you want to test me?Think my threats are empty?" I realized he really would do it and shook my head, I wobbled up and balanced on one foot.

"Do you have to watch? Can't you . . .turn away or soemthing?" I mumbled it, he'd probably hit me or whatever, I hadn't expected him to actually turn.

* * *

With a scoff he said,

"Just hurry up, I have better things to do then bathe my pet." Her face flushed.

"P-pet?"

"Just hurry up, stupid!" He growled it at her, she couldn't believe how . . . childish he was. It was so . . .strange. She pulled off her nasty dirty clothes, covered in mud and blood. The picture in her pocket fell out and glided right between Neid's legs of all places. He stiffly bent down to pick it up before turning around quickly. She squeaked and tried to cover herself with her arms.

"Where did you get this?" He demanded it, his eyes stormy again.

"E-elaina gave it t-to me." Her voice squeaking out sound. He growled and with it still in his hand he pointed to the tub of water.

"Your ass, in that tub, now." She couldn't help but grumble as she did her best to climb in.

"Less lip too." He growled at her, she rolled her eyes. She sat in it and couldn't help but sigh. The water was just hot enough, leaving the skin it touched red. It felt good though. She looked at him as he placed the picture in a pocket in his skin tight shorts, his abdomen was built and the strange shirt was more like thrown together fabric. It came high in the front, covering his collarbones leaving his throat bare and the back was nearly completely open. The black seemed like it was a part of him. Red stripes that even went over his skin made her think that perhaps that _was_ his skin.

She jumped when he set a bare of yellow soap and a large discolored sponge neatly in a line on the very edge of the basin. The sponge teetered a few times before laying still and she saw a strange satisfaction cross over the lavender eyes, as if his life mission was to make those two items be still and in perfect line.

He turned his back as she reached for the sponge, getting the soap wet before lathering it on the sponge and then her body. Could he really be so bad? He was allowing her privacy, he was allowing her to bathe at all . . .that was a shocker for her. She was grateful though.

So could he really be that bad?

Oh yes, he really was. . .

* * *

**Note here, Neid is Envy. Envy is not the EXACT same as before either. I've made him a little more stronger and his wit is a little more. . . faster XD Also, how he acquired Neid as his name with be explained later. Mattane 3**

**PS I'm not going to warn everytime torture, blood and gore or whatever happens, so just let this be your warning.**


	12. The Turning of Pages

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from FMA or from the creators of it.**

**A Heart Dressed in Wicked**

**Chapter 11.) The Turn of Pages**

* * *

Elaina's eyes were hard and her face was a mask of nothing. She made her way to the Elric's house up on the hill, a day earlier then she had told Edward. She couldn't have waited any longer, she had tried to come the very day he had called her but due to duty she'd had to wait. The town had looked trashed, no one had survived.

Up on the old porch she didn't even knock as she opened the screen door before the wooden one, knowing that it wouldn't be locked. She stomped her boots clean from the frost and iced dew before heading to the kitchen. She'd lived here for some odd months before Roy had taken her in, she remembered where everything was too.

"Edward?" She called softly, seeing him at the large wooden table with his face in his hands. He was dressed in his familiar red coat and travelling clothes. One hand slowly peeled from his face and went to a steaming mug before he brought it to his lips to sip. He set it down and lazily pointed behind him.

"Coffee, get you some." She sighed before going to the cabinet and pulling out a brown mug and going to the crude metal pot, and lifting the lid. If you hadn't smelled the coffee one may have thought it was a tea pot. She almost smiled and poured her some before placing three sugar cubes in it and grabbing a stir. She sat in front of Edward, stirring her cubes around.

"She is still alive." He didn't move for the longest of times until he finally gazed up at her, his golden eyes filled with yet again familiar hurt and anguish. She reached over and set her own gloved hand on his white one that rested beside his mug.

"Let's have faith that we can get to her before she spends too much time there." He looked away, a scoff.

"As if her being alive is worse then her death." She took her hand away slowly, looking into the blackness of her coffee.

"Most likely Edward . . . " It came out as a near whisper, her eyes thunderstorms. Edward raised his mug up as if she had been discussing her walk with the dog.

"She was having bad dreams, dreams about the first frost." Elaina looked up to him.

"The first frost?" He nodded, taking another sip as she did as well.

"She knew something was going to happen on the first frost, so the plan was to protect her. Protect her on the first frost." He put his hands to his face as his voice grew weak.

"It came early and I wasn't even here." She saw little darkened drops fall onto the table and her heart sped up. He loved her enough to cry for her.

"We will get her back. You have the best ally for the job Edward. Come on, who knows him better then me?" He shook his head,

"I didn't want to do this again. I didn't want to go through any of this again. My family are scared and worried, they shouldn't have to go through this either." He looked at her with eyes of pain and knowing. They both had them. A long and hard road lay before them.

"We will get her back." She said once more before taking a long drink of hot coffee.

* * *

A whimper could be heard from the bare headed girl. She wore nothing more then a ripped up shirt that didnt make it to her waist and a pair of tattered shorts. Bandaged areas were placed near her ribs and a few on her face. The door opened to her cell and she could faintly hear the two others in there scuttle amongst the straw.

"Wake up." She cracked one hazel eye open,

"Wasn't sleeping. . ." She heard her sigh and felt sharp fingers grabbing her shoulder and yanking her up with in human strength. She yelped at the pain there.

"Hush, I'm not in the mood for your noises or loudness today." Medea gave Lust a hateful look.

"Well I'm not in the mood to see your face but we can't always have wha-" A high pitched cry came from her as Lust hit her face. She began the tedious work of dragging her out of the cell. Medea was renowned amongst the sins for her incredible wanton-ness to go against what was wanted, no one liked dealing with her as she was an amazing frustration.

Lust took her to the familiar door, the bath room as it was associated as. She opened it and threw her in before using her foot the shove her further in. She closed the door behind her,

"Here, there is your worthless rat." Medea's eyes rolled as her out of shape body dazed itself by attempting to sit up quickly. She felt fingers on her jaw and managed to focus enough to see Neid there, his eyes on her face.

"You hit her?" She could feel Lust's tension over it.

"Perhaps my hand slipped. You know how much trouble she is. Lucky she is still alive with how she is with the others." Medea looked to the floor, what was she doing here? She tried to look over his compacted shoulder, not really wanting to look at his face. She remembered Darla telling Lidia that often times the most beautiful had the worst hearts. So true in such a literal way. Tears threatened to over come her eyes as she thought about her dead sisters.

She focused behind tub wasn't there however, all she could see was some shelves and what looked like a strange metal table on wheels. She tried to wet her cracked dry lips as fear came over her. What was she doing here? He grabbed her arm and lifted her onto her feet. She wobbled but refused to use him to help her stand.

"Then maybe she needs to be taught how to act." Their eyes were on her now, she could always feel when one of them watched her. Goosebumps came over her as he shoved her over to the metal table before he lifted her up and onto it. She made a hissing sound at how cold the metal was but he paid her no heed. Panic raced through her now, what was he going to do to her?

"Pet, you aren't very obediant are you?" His androgynous voice scared her, especially with the tone he took.

"Why should I be?" She hadn't meant to speak out like that, it was one of those things that she acquired after coming here. She heard him chuckle but Lust scoffed.

"Oh, you'll have plenty reason when I'm through." Her face went pale as he held up a tiny knife. She sucked in breath before she tried to lunge off the table but he grabbed her throat with his free hand and slammed her back down.

"Uh uh, don't think you are going anywhere for a while little Hen." She started to shake as he placed the knife in his mouth and he began to tether her to the table with leather straps. Her ankles and wrists were now bound to the table and she wouldn't be getting away. He rested a long pale and cool arm over her stomach, leaning there all smug. He took the knife out and licked the blade before bringing it close to her skin. She whimpered and began to shake more.

"I want you to be obediant to me." He looked her in the eyes and she looked away, clearly full of fear.

"Do you still oppose me?" She started to shake so much that the table began to rattle.

"Always." He growled before taking the knife and dragging it along her thigh. She screamed out, trying to move her leg away. He smiled at the stream of blood, flowed down like red curtains. He looked to her and held the bloody knife up.

"Want some more?" She started to cry as he began to drag it over the one he made, making a crude X. She cried out for him to stop, the pain flaming up in her leg.

"Too bad, you are going to be here for a long while yet, Hen." He grinned before beginning a new line right beside his other one, making long crisscosses. The cells in the hallway could only hear the long and loud screams that came from the panicked and fearful child.

* * *

Both Elaina and Edward were on a train headed to Central. They had decided to head there and talk with the Furher before going off to places unknown with out his consent should something happen. Edward wanted someone to know in case of this so that someone else could pick up after.

He never thought he'd be doing this again, tracking down monsters for the sake of loved ones. Not in the real sense of monsters at least.

"We don't even know where to look." Elaina blanched a gaze to him before slowly moving her sight back out at the window.

"He may still be at that hole he was in before." Her voice was low but he had heard her.

"You think he would stay there knowing that you have that information and could give it to someone else? That could blow his plan." He said it sarcastically, Envy wasn't very smart." She sideglanced him.

"Yeah, I do think he would, if not there then some where near it. He once told me , 'Your enemies rarely think to check under their noses.' So yes, I believe he could hide there. If not there, the Labs in Central . . .again." She shivered and looked back out the window. Edward remembered when he and Roy had busted the labs up when she was there as a 'patient'.

"You can be my look out, I'll go in." She rolled her bright eyes.

"And he happend to be there, then what? You get your ass handed to you or worse. Then he moves, or takes me out. Then Medea has no one coming for her and his where abouts are gone. Great plan Eddy." He growled.

"I'm not completely defensless. I can fight you know." She gave him a sickly sweet smile.

"Against a homunculus who has the strength to take out 10+ soldiers while on duty IN Central with out getting caught? Right." He stretched, ignoring her words.

"What was the point of him doing that?" She looked at him, the sun was going down.

"Could be several things. A present, a show of power, randomly doing it. . . " She took her gloves off and stretched and wiggled her scarred fingers.

" . . .Present?" She looked up to him.

"A sarcastic and cynical one. Like how a cat will kill a bird and bring it to its master?" He gave her a strange look.

"So, when I'd ran off with him you know? Well, he used to . . . 'gift' me. I'd have trouble with sleezy men, I'd find them dead the next day. He was showing me his own way of affection. His way of saying I love you is to kill someone thats bothering you basically. He's shown it other ways too though." She looked back out the window, twilight was happening.

"Maybe he has changed more then I realized." She didn't look at him as she watched the stars grow brighter.

* * *

She could feel the memory of sunlight on her skin, how the soft summer breeze caressed her skin and gently blew her once long hair around her like wings. She felt little tears leaking from her eyes, her body was numb from too much pain at one time. She wanted to die. The present time came whooshing back and the hateful smell of blood came at her, she was barely conscience anyways. She would fight for her will though, fight for her person. Could she win? She doubted it, but that wouldn't stop her from trying. The clang of metal made her jump, new bandages were being placed out.

Her whole right leg would have to be bandaged, he's carved up the whole leg. X's and curly q's and such. They'd scar and she'd have them forever. Be forever reminded of this. SHe sniffed as he raised her leg to wrap under it, she knew she was still bleeding in someplaces, she wondered about stitches.

When he was finally done with bandaging her leg he barked for Lust who brought in a burly man with her. He picked up the weak and half conscious Medea, her form so tiny in his arms. His face was mean as he took her back to the cell that she hated so much. She faintly thought about that picture suddenly. Was it the reason why things had gone so drastic for her? She tried to not cry or make noise at the hurt in her heart. Was Edward alright? What about the kids and Winry? She felt heavy as the man set her in a bed of straw, her eye closing as soon as the cell door shut.

* * *

I opened my one available eye and stared into the darkened ceiling. I heard a sigh and I jumped, startled so easily. My dreams hadn't been too great, full of chimera and death. I tried to sit up, i felt live and warm hands on my back helping me gently. Not Neid. I let out a breath. Nothing dead. I turned and saw a worried Amanda, she patted the side of my head as if to move imaginary hair out of my face.

"How do you feel?" I heard a scoff from the old fart in the corner, i couldn't stand that negative piece of shit. Why was I so angry with him?

"I . .I'm alive. I think." She gave me a sad smile.

"All I could hear was . . .well. " She looked down at my leg. Yeah, my screams and pleads for help. She gestured to my side.

"What did you do to get those? They are very old, you can get some good information out of those." I gave her a questioning look before seeing where she gestured at. I was surprise immediately, such movements hurt my partially swollen face.

"Who brought those in?" It was a small stack of thick bound books, all on Alchemy. I slowly moved to pick one up, I opened it to the front page. This one was written about 100 years ago.

"The tiny one, the one that seems to favor you." I placed the book back on the stack and laid back down.

"Oh." She shook her head and gestured to them again.

"Read them, maybe you can learn enough to get us out of here." I looked to her, what if that was possible? I looked back to the books. Wy were they here anyways?

"Did he say anything?" She shook her head no.

"He looked as he always does, as if in the company of livestock." Another snort was heard,

"You really think _she_ of all people can help us Amanda? Are you losing all your intelligence?" I wanted to throw one of these books at him. How dare he?

"What can a scared and wounded little girl with no backbone do for us?" He'd sat up, looked at his wife.

"She is smart, Maxum. You saw what she did before." I felt the tiniest bit of warmth from Amanda standing up for me, it was nice in all this darkness.

"Amanda, I don't think I could ever do that again though. . . " It was true too, I couldn't do alchemy anyways, let alone do so with out circles. Maxum sighed and waved at his wife to be silent before he laid back down. Thats all he ever did, sleep and bitch.

I grabbed the top book again, flipping it open before rolling carefully on my belly to read. I felt a small bit of nostalgia as I remembered when I did this with Edward and Al.


	13. The Seed Warms Up

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from FMA or from the creators of it.**

**A Heart Dressed in Wicked**

**Chapter 12.) The Seed Warms Up**

* * *

I don't know how long he'd been standing there watching me from at the door, I hadn't noticed how the other two had grown tense with fear or notice how intense his cruel lavendar gaze on me was. I saw his pale toes and barely gave him a second look after, hoping to piss him off. Pissing him off wasn't exactly the safest thing to do but oh well, I felt like spiting him for ruining my leg. It sounded almost vain to me but I mentally shrigged it off. How long could I stay a sheltered child? Sheltered children didn't have what it took to learn this material, or even to use it efficiently enough to get them somewhere.

I flipped the thin and yellowed page, I was on the last chapter of the last book from my stack. Sometime between the third book someone,probably Amanda, had brought me water and bread but I had barely stopped for them, when I studied I really became absorbed in it. It's how I learned so quickly I assumed, I nearly became the material and brought in the knowledge like a sponge to water.

"Physics, uck. . . ." I looked around for something to write the formula down before remembering that I was in a cell and not at home.

* * *

She gave a depressed sigh,

"I need a notepad . . ." She blushed as she realized that she'd said it outloud. She gave Neid a faint look before flashing back down to the open book in her lap. He'd held a soft but visable smirk for sure, as if he enjoyed watching her leave this world and live in another. The thick cell door opened a little and she watched him turn to face outward, into the hallway. His pale lips moved with silent words that she couldn't even lip read and she inferred his already bright lavender eyes growing more lighter. Once he was done they calmed down and his attention returned to her where she promptly stuck her face back into the old and dusty book.

Amanda scooted closer, her darkened eyes weary of the homonculus, the one most violent, in their cell. She leaned over and looked at the formulas spread out in circles and dimensions on the page, her straw colored hair brushed over Medea's bruised shoulder.

"Shrentworth's Patterns, those are . . . extremely powerful circles . . . " Medea smiled at her impressed tone,

"And I've got them all memorized too. . . " Medea's grin was half done as the bruises on her face were still apparent, she had to try for expression though. Amanda's eyes grew in fascination,

"No way . . . you've only just started though! It takes years for handled scholars to learn these." Her voice a harsh whisper but Medea could see the pride in her eyes. Envy's attention was on them, Medea knew he understood what was going on, no secrets were being kept. He wanted her to learn too, his reasons were the only secrets as of yet.

"I'm good at it, memorizing patterns and circles. Formula's too when I can write them down. I only need to practice drawing them out and things. I've been tracing them out with my finger but . . .eh not as fun as using a p-" She was cut off as the door had opened and thus a small tattered yellow notepad was tossed to her lap, Envy held out a rough looking pencil in his fingers. She took the notepad up and much to Amanda and Maxum's surprise she held out her hand for the pencil. Envy's eyes grew mischievous and he held his hand out, as if to will it through the air at her. She sighed.

"Can you throw it to me or something? It's the least you can do since you made an art project out of my leg . . ." He grinned before pulling the pencil back.

"I'll soon make the other match." Her heart sped up but she tried her best not to let him see a change in her. Little things were going to concor and win.

"Do I have to get up?" He grinned, pale lips pulling over sharp teeth. He looked at her slyly, ideas and plans running around in his mind.

"No, pick one of these . . . " He motioned to Amanda and Maxum," things to come and get it." The blood left her face as she realized what he was doing. She looked to Amanda, confused and frail. She who had stood up against her mean husband for her, had been there for her so far. Tears came to her eyes thinking about how tolerant and kind she'd been. Medea looked to Maxum, mean, lazy and all around awful. He was a pessimistic asshole who didn't do anything to contribute to helping . . .but he was Amanda's husband. Little tears dropped from both her eyes, Amanda started to wipe them away but she moved her head away from that pale forgiving hand. Maxum squinted his eyes at her, he knew something was wrong.

Medea looked at Envy with tearful eyes.

"Why are you doing this?" The smile left his face, a confused look replaced it as quick as one could blink.

"Doing what? I'm merely . . .being gracious by allowing someone else to come get this for you . . . " He feigned innocence while waving the pencil around like a prop in a play. She looked to Amanda, she gave her a pat to the shoulder leaning in,

"I'll get it sweetheart." Medea's hand reached out to pull her back but missed as Amanda stood up and weakly made it to Envy with a careful step over the hay on the floor, her green eyes downcasted and her head in a respective bow. Medea watched, he really was going to just give it to her. She looked away for a split moment, a blood splatter fell onto the page she was looking at.

"Amanda!" She didn't look up as she heard the thump on the floor or Maxum's cry for her, his too fast breathing was suddenly the only sound with in the cell, the hell she was placed in. Tears fell around the splatter in her book like dancers in a ballet, she began to shake as she tried to hold her emotions in. A little whimper was heard from her as her grip on the book made the old leather creak, she suddenly used a burst of adrenaline to throw it at him.

"I hate you!" Tears ran freely down briused cheeks, the book barely missed his head much to her frustration. His hellish grin was back, blood clothed his arm clear up to his elbow and a dead Amanda lay on the floor. The now bloody pencil was in her hand and her arm was outstretched, Medea would be able to reach it. She didn't want to look at her throat, where he'd slashed at her no doubt. She knew he'd been up to no good. Fire filled her soul, hot anger and hurt filled her little body as tears ran down her face more and high pitched crying noises escaped her mouth.

He put his bloody hand to his black clothed chest,

"Oh my, I think my feelings are hurt." His face plastered with 'hurt' look.

"You don't have any." It came out as a small grumble, tears made her vision not so great but she could see the change his eyes had made, she hated how she paid him so close attention.

"Oh, of course not. I forgot . . . whoops." This was sarcasm of course but she felt that this hurt tone was the real deal. Did he really have feelings other then boredom and anger?

"Take your stupid books. I don't need you and your evil." She began to pick one up, her arms hurting from the first throw. She threw it at him and he caught it, she feared he might throw it back but he merely dropped it to the ground.

"Stcks and stones may break my bones . . . " He sang it as any small child might. She was growing angrier and angrier with him, was this all a game to him? She turned a hateful glare to him with two more books ready,

"What do you want from me? I don't have anything of value or use!" He rolled his eyes and made a clicking sound at her, Maxum was dragging himself over to his dead wife and she thought he was crying too.

"Don't you remember? Melting my flesh? It took a lot of effort to heal that back too." She shook her head and started to cry louder.

"You did that with out a circle, I think ole Pip Squeak has been teaching you more then just average alchemy." His voice scared her, his tone was void of all humor and was replaced by a serious monotonous one. She bit her lip, a serious Envy was much more scary then his laid back self.

"No, I haven't ever done that before, Edward said I couldn't do any alchemy until I learned Equivalent Exchange. I've never transmuted anything before!" His eyes narrowed,

"Sounds like him, stingy . . .but I think you are a liar, Hen." He started to laugh at Maxum's attempts to draw a circle with blood around his wife.

"That won't work old man, you'll not get her back. Only something worse and less intelligent." Medea's mouth flew open,

"Human transmutation? You kno-" Envy's face grew angry and he had hit the wall with his fist crumbling the stone wall and leaving a fist sized hole,

"No, he doesn't and neither will you for a long while. Get up." Fear flew back into her as he came at Maxum, his hand no longer a hand but a sharpened weapon.

"Please! No! Don't kill him please!" Medea tried to get herself over to them but as soon as she put her hand on the blood circle the room lit up in a fierce yellow and Envy began to scream curses. She felt the room vibrate through her bones and a scorching pain around her head and then nothing. Her world went black.

* * *

They had been sitting there for the past half hour, Edward was nearly asleep from waiting there on the wooden bench out in the hall, Elaina how ever looked ready for war as she paced back and forth on the pale tiled floors.

"I can't believe they are making us wait to see him. " She stood up, startling Edward back into consciousness. His blond locks coming out of his braid and sticking up at odd angles.

"We are wasting time . . " She nodded to agree with him. She began to walk towards the meeting room when two guards held their hands out. Edward watched her as he pulled his tie from his thick hair and ran his fingers through his messy hair.

"Now, Major-" Edward did his best not to laugh when she punched him in the face and gave a mean look to the other who held his hands out in defense now. Edward was re-braiding his hair and tieing it off again.

"Ma'am, you really can't go in there." She placed her hands on her hips, not paying his wavering tone andy attention.

"It's not like Amestris is at war or anything." Se rolled her eyes again and shoved the door open, Edward followed suit. She walked in like she owned the place, a table full of mostly old men looked up from their discussion, the only one who didn't was Roy, sitting at the head with an air of authority.

They gave both her and Edward dry blank stares until one particularly old and wrinkled general stood up,

"Excuse me?" Elaina waved him off rudely.

"Roy, hurry up and wrap this tea party up. I'm not going to sit around and wait for a bunch of old ladies to remember what they are wearing while she is gone and with Sin." Her arms were folded and Roy sighed before looking up. A bunch of the men's brows went up at her bluntness, none having guts enough to talk down to her face.

"Elaina, my duties as Fuhrer come first, you know this. Please wait outside until we are finished." She gave him an angry stare as he casually sifted through a stack of papers and manilla folders.

"If you don't see to this matter now I'll resign and go about this myself." He sighed again and ran a hand over his pale face.

"Elaina, by military law you can't resign until a certain amount of years are in place." She rolled her eyes,

"Then I'll illegally defect." He grinned,

"And whose going to take care of you? I suppose Edward will cook for you?" She growled.

"This isn't funny Roy." He nodded as a sudden steely stare in his one visible eye grew on his face,

"I agree, so take your ass and go outside and wait for me. Now, no discussion, go." His voice had strained the serious and demanding note and she stomped her foot and growled again before spinning around and stomping back out. She punched the doors open and hit the standing guards before she started off down the hallway, Edward trying to keep up with her angry pace.

"Well, that didn't work. Where are you going now?" She didn't give him a glance as she stopped at a door,

"To piss." He sighed and waited outside for her.

* * *

Before anything could be felt, before my brain even worked, I knew that I did not want to wake up.

It was strange, a pleasant dream where I was back in the sheep feild and the sun was shining and the rays made my thick dark red hair seem like it was actually flames. I danced around in circles as the sheep moved away, my light cottony dress airy and the grass tickled my legs. I felt free and at place with myself. No pain or sorrow existed here.

It was gone sooner then I was ready for it to be for I soon felt the cold metal table seeping its dark energies into my back. Fear came into me and darkness befell my mind and my sun and love was gone. I refused to open my eyes yet. I felt a slender weight on my belly, a finger? It was tracing gentle patterns on my stomach before a hand splayed over it and rested there.

"Stupid. You got lucky this time." I hesitantly cracked my eyes open, something was wrong though, my vision was off . . .

I saw Envy, his hand was the one that was being gentle, he didn't look me in the face, but at my stomach. His expression scared me more then anything had so far. It was a gentle and far off look. A sad one, worried. Not the violent Envy I knew from before. These all hardened however as he looked to my face. He reached up by my right ear and I flinched, I saw his hand curl and . . .seize?

"You can't hear that can you?" His tone . . . oh his voice. So sad and hurt sounding. What was going on? This wasn't like him at all. His hand moved in front of my face and started to snap, he slowly moved his hand back to my right ear continuously snapping. I gasped.

"Your left eye too." My hand went immediately to my eye, it was there thank gods, but now I realized what was off. He gentley placed his fingers over my right eye . . . I couldnt see anything out of my left. Nothing.

"Lucky thats all thats gone." He'd said it under his breath, like he was afraid that something was missing other then my left eye vision and right ear hearing. I tried to sit up and jumped when his hand held against my back and helped.

"Water is coming, if you are hungry I'll get something." A shiver went through my body, what was going on?

"Whats wrong with you? What happened, why am I here again? Where's . . . " I looked around for Maxum, trying my best not to think of Amanda.

* * *

Medea couldn't see Maxum there and nearly sighed with relief. She looked to him, ready for him to hit her for being so outbursty, he didnt though. He looked away from her, that far off look back.

"I hate this world. My experiment is ruined now." Her mouth hung open and a confused look came over her. He looked to her with a strange longing and her heart began to ache, remembering that first night she'd seen him. She didn't hate him as much as she wanted to.

"I don't understand. . .?" Her voice was soft and low, he could hear well enough. He ran a hand over her bandaged leg.

"I'll keep you anyways I think . . ." His gaze trailed along her mouth and down her chin to her collar bone. His fingers reached out to touch there, her skin stretched across her bones thinly and he realized how malnourished she was. She reminded him so much of someone. She flinched as his fingers moved across her collar bone, no warmth in them. His black hair fell about him.

"I forget how weak humans are . . .she used to need so much water . . .so much food." She didn't say anything about it being Elaina knowing he wasn't really there at the moment. Though it scared her to think he might revert to his violence all over again, she knew he probably would soon. The door opened and she tried her best to calm her nerves. She gathered enough bravery to look and see who it was, Lust carrying a glass pitcher of clear liquid . . . water. She skittishly walked to them there at the table, her heels clacking on the floor. She gingerly set the glass down and set a cup that she'd held in her other gloved hand next to it. Envy didn't look at her as he started to fill the cup up. He held it out for Medea who looked at it to him and back.

"There isn't anything in it is there?" She realized how stupid a question that'd been. His pupils dilated and suddenly his cynical look was back.

"I can quickly put something in it if you prefer." She took it with downcasted eyes and held it to her lips before taking a gulp. She hadn't realized how thirsty she was until the cup was empty and she was near begging him for more. He refilled it, to her surprise, and she downed it too.

"Lust, go have . . . .someone . . . .get some cooked food. Bring it here." She nodded and turned to leave quickly. He sat the pitcher by her so that she could get what she wanted, her stomach growled loudly and she blushed. His face didn't move as she saw him walk to a shelf and pic up something, squinting she saw it was a photo. At first it looked like the same one that she had brought but the closer attention she paid to the back of it she realized it wasn't. He slowly took his time coming to her before he flashed the picture to her. It was Elaina and him. Well, she assumed it was him, Elaina looked the same as the before photograph, head shaved and in a light blue gown. He was in some kind of metal chair, a weird muzzle over his mouth and strange metal things over his hands and feet. They had different formatic circles on them but she couldn't tell what they were for.

"Does she look different?" She looked up to him before going back to the picture while lifting her water up. She did, her eyes were lavender not blue, her stare was cruel like his. She nodded in answer to him. He took the picture back to the shelf.

"They took that a few weeks before she was rescued. " She wasn't sure what the point of telling her this was but she tried her best to figure it out. Later.

The door opened again and she heard the clacking of heels again but not before she smelled the single most delicious thing ever in a long while. Brought in was a big bowl of none other then homemade steaming chicken and dumplings. Her mouth watered at the sight of it. She hardly looked to Neid for permission as Lust set the bowl down with a spoon next to it. Medea grabbed at the spoon and dove in before she jumped as a pale cool hand grabbed her wrist.

"Blow on it first." Perhaps she had been right after all, the seed just needed a little patience . . .

* * *

Oh wow, its been a while and I'm really sorry. I've been in and out of the hospital the past few weeks and I always forget to grab my laptop DX  
Hope this is long enough : O


	14. To Hate Out of Love

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from FMA or from the creators of it.**

**A Heart Dressed in Wicked**

**Chapter 13.) To Hate Out of Love**

* * *

The woods were thick, blinding to my eye. The first sunlight in who knows when wasn't very much appreciated as I squinted, vision out here was painful. Snow had fallen and was about mid-shin deep. I shivered and huddled in myself as a big ghosting breath came from me. His breath didn't show.

"Aren' t you worried that I'll run off?"

I gave him a mean look, my hair had been shaved again just before he let me out here for fresh air. It had almost been long enough for me to run my fingers through, it seemed to grow back thicker.

"No," I watched him talk, his skin so white it was like he'd bleached it . . . however mine looked rather similar now.

"It would take you a few days to get to any towns on foot, and with the snow . . .I wouldn't bet anything on you making it one day." He grinned cruely, "Besides, I'd catch you before you died and make you wished you had." I sighed and looked away, his eyes had grown overly bright, everything hurt my eye.

My toes wiggled, they were getting so cold that the feeling was leaving them. I looked to Neid, he was barefoot too and yet he didn't shiver, nor seem to mind the snow.

"Do you even feel things?" He had been looking out at the trees, a lost like look in those eyes. He didn't turn away,

"I don't know. . . " I moved my feet, making a small patch where the snow didn't consume my legs.

"Do you feel the coldness out here?" He sighed, I couldn't see his breath and it made more gooseflesh rise.

"Not really." His voice was slow, as if he was tired. A small breeze came through and his hair moved out of his face as if invisible fingers did it for him.

"What does that mean, either you can or you can't." He slowly looked to me, a lazy expression.

"I know it's cold. I can't necessarily feel it."

"Then how do you know its cold?" He shrugged. Great answer. I sighed and turned to look back at the cellar door, it creaked before opening, the darkness from within a startling contrast with all the snow around us. Neid nodded towards the door and I slowly made my way to it, leaving behind possible freedom. On my way in he grabbed my shoulder and moved me more to the right, my distance judgment was off after my left eye's vision had been taken.

* * *

Lust leered at the frail pale girl, her long dirty shirt barely covering past her hips, she frowned.

"Wasn't that shirt a little bigger before?" She looked to Envy, suspicion in her eyes, he didn't look back to his pet as he continued forward, the damp walls tight around them, the poor light above them barely there.

"Human children grow, she is still rather young." Lust turned back to the still shivering form of Medea.

"How old are you?" Medea shrugged.

"I thought I was 16." Envy passed through a doorway and called back,

"Still are." She gave Lust another shrug before trying to move forward, Lust blocked her way.

"Perhaps we need to stop your growth, its dangerous having to go out and find you clothing." Medea's eyes turned, one a pearlescant pale and the other a bright hazel,

"This is hardly clothing." She moved Lust's hand from her path and limped forward, her right leg having mostly healed she had acquired more fresh wounds on her left.

"You are getting rather bold." She brushed her off while going through that doorway and down another hall and into a room. The room with her table and tub. She didn't cringe anymore from seeing it, she'd been there so often she'd worked up a resistance.

A few books lay open on the table, some writing pads and paper full of scribbles and shapes lay about it. She'd been studying. She walked around the large tub, it was dry of course and a few thick blankets lay in it making it look like a nest. Envy lounged in it currently, his eyes closed though she knew he wasn't sleeping. She didn't think he ever slept. Not truly.

She leaned against the table and flipped through one of her pads, most of it was writings but at the end were a few sketches. She ran her chilled fingers over them, one was a rough sketch of her house at Resembool, and then another of the room she shared at Edwards. She missed them, all of them.

She started to think of her sisters but killed the thought quickly, it still hurt her too much. She loved their murderer, she couldn't handle that guilt yet.

"How far?" She looked over her shoulder quickly before looking at the page number of one of the books.

"Nearly done." She let the pages fall back on the pad and pulled the book closer and picked up where she left off. She grabbed it and walked around the table to where a table had been brought down for her, she sat on it and continued.

She had but a few pages left when the sound of fabric against fabric grabbed her attention. She stared at the words unsure why such a subtle sound would bring her out of her world. She glanced to the tub, Envy was adjusting his lounge into a full on lay. She looked at his legs, one sprawled straight and the other bent. He lifted himself up using his legs and she watched his muscles become more pronounced, his thighs becoming very defined. She gave a swallow as his abs clenched before he settled. She jumped when he slung his arm over his head so his wrist was resting over the tub rim. She quickly peeked to his face to see if he'd seen her staring, his eyes were still closed. His face was perfectly relaxed, no tint of cruelty or anger, no hate or deceit. An angel.

She looked back down his body, his stomach mostly flat until he used the muscles there, she looked further . . .

Blushing furiously she looked to her book and tried to concentrate. She looked at her left hand, unmarred, her wrist and all the way up to her elbow was perfectly fine. Her right hand had cross marks and even a tiny outline of a chick, drawn with a knife by his truly in the space between her first finger and thumb. She looked up and jumped, he was sitting up and perfectly alert . . .she'd never heard him move at all.

"Done." She closed the book gentley, her face red and hot. This would have been when she allowed her hair to fall over her face and sheild it. She couldn't hide like that anymore. She reached over and grabbed one of the other openned books and drew a line on the paper she'd been writing notes on.

She looked around for her cup of water, it was empty when she found it. She got up and looked on the large wooden shelves behind her for the water pitcher, it too was empty. She looked back to Envy who had been watching her every move. She had eventually gotten used to it.

"Lust is outside the door." She looked to the door then.

"Can I just get it myself?" He cocked his head, mischief awoke in his eyes.

"Why when she can get it quicker?" Sh"e let out a breath, he knew why.

"I don't need anymore trouble . . ." He grinned,

"Lust!" He turned to the door at his command, said sin walked in.

"Medea wanted you." He leaned back into the 'bed' and Medea sighed taking the jug and setting it on the table.

"I'm out of water, can you get me some?" Lust gave her a dirty look.

"You have two legs, get it yourself." Dee looked to Envy with an 'i told you so' look. He didn't look away from her.

"Make her do it." Medea looked to Lust, she was stronger, faster, and had a lot of power backing her up.

"Please?" Lust folded her black clad arms.

"Wht do I get in return?" She shook her head and grabbed the pitcher and started to walk around the table.

"Put it down and make her." She looked to Neid, his face serious, deviod of anything else. She looked to Lust who had been leering at Envy.

"I can't make her. . . look at me and then look at her." She moved her hands in emphasis between the two and he gave her an angry look.

"You won't get it unless you convince her to then. Dehydration kills humans." She put her hands to her face. Why did he always have to do this.

"Are you that bored?" Lust looked between the two, clear surprise at her words on her face. Envy was less amused however.

"Clear off the table." His voice steady and stern, as if a parent scolding a child. She went still as she stared at him, fear filling her eyes.

"No." His body went from relaxed to tensed in a heartbeat and he was suddenly raising himself up from tub. He slowly lumbered to the table, as if a massive slinky cat, before stopping directly in front of her on the other side. He took his hands and cleared it all off in one angry sweep,

"Hop up Hen." She backed up and shook her head, little tears littering her eyes. He had wanted an excuse for this, anything would have worked.

"Oh? No again is it?" His face changed into an innocent questioning look. She knew better.

"I don't want you to hurt me anymore, im tired of it." Tears fell and she jumped as he set his hand down hard on the table.

"Then do as I say." She shook her head. He growled and she started to shake, why did he always revert back to this? He went from relaxing to psychotic torturer in a blink.

"Now Hen, I grow impatient with this. . ." She didn't make a move towards the table and he slammed both hands on the table,"Now!" She started to cry more and bit her lip to try and keep sounds in her mouth.

"You are only making this worse on yourself, the longer you stall the pissier I get . . ." He growled it at her and she wondered why he even bothered to warn her anymore. She slid along the wall knowing she wouldn't be able to escape him. Lust smirked and Medea gave her a watery dirty look. It was all her fault anyways. She looked back to the table and a shock ran through her, fear making her cold. He wasn't there, she looked all around the room . . .nothing but her and Lust. Her breathing became ragged as she stumbled to the tub, hoping for a miracle. The door slammed shut and there he was, with a small leather tool kit. She backed up too quickly and fell with a yelp. He was there in front of her and she put her arms before her trying to protect herself. He grabbed her up by them instead and she started to scream at him.

"No! Please no!" She started to hyperventilate and her screams ceased. He threw her down hard ontop of the table and put the tool set down while watching her trying to breathe. She slowly began to breathe and her body tensed up as he began to buckle her up.

"Please-just. . . . let me . . . go." It came out in desperate breaths.

"You aren't a very submissive pet." His face was all business now, no anger. More tears escaped.

He tested all the straps before rolling the tools out, she looked away not wanting to see them.

"You are getting worse and worse. Can't have a rebellious child roaming around." He said it mockingly, like his family was full of such. She started to shake, trembles running through her on queue almost.

"G-guess not." It always pissed him off more when she talked back. It meant more physical pain but she always felt sanely better fighting back. Like she would lose herself if she couldn't or stopped fighting him. His hand was at her collar bone and it slid up and around her throat, her eyes flashed to him but he was on her left side and it was difficult for her to really see him well.

"Why wont you stop this? Why not submit?" She swallowed and felt his hand more,

"You'd like that wouldn't you?" His eyes narrowed and he drew in closer, perhaps so she could see him better, perhaps to be more intimidating.

"I wouldn't have to keep carving your pretty little body up. . ." His lips were near hers, she didn't know why it bothered her so much, he often got to close to her face. He didn't understand what personal space was yet. Eventually she had to look away to answer him.

"You'd still hurt me, you aren't kidding anyone here." He growled and lifted her up by her neck as far as her straps would allow her before slamming her down landing with a loud bang and a pained sound from her. Pain blossomed at the back of her head.

"Submit to me!" His eyes were wide with anger, his lavender bright from excitement of the promise of blood.

"Why?" It came out a little high pitched and the room rang with silence. The silence ended with the sound of someone sniffling. Medea had a runny nose. She looked at him and she didn't like what she saw. He let go of her and his gaze trailed down her body, the shirt had rode up exposing most of her stomach and even a small swelling of promises of breasts later on. He set a hand on her knee and looked all the things he'd done. He ran a finger down her thigh and she tensed up as he drew shapes.

"Perhaps I will carve my name in deep right here. Make it thick and noticeable. . . . " She started to tremble again and his hand traveled to the inside of her thigh spreading her legs to see the inner thigh that had been untouched. She felt goosebumps rise and hated it, nothing he ever did was sexual, she hated herself for thinking such awful things.

"Or maybe I could write a message, a long message to ole pipsqueak . . . telling him how much fun we've had. Course he wouldn't see it until I delivered your cold dead body but . . ." Tears slid down her temples as she tried her best to be calm.

"Oh, perhaps . . ." He ran light fingertips over her hips and around her belly before splaying his hand across her stomach. He used his other hand as leverage and sat on the edge of the table and leaned over her, trying to catch her sight.

"I can strip the skin from your stomach . . . or back. We've not made your back beautiful yet. . . " She bit her lip and he sighed.

"Decisions .. . decisions. . . ." She looked down at him, her eyes meeting his and she felt like dieing right then and there. It was almost as if he were a different person, lost and wondering where he was at. The lost was suddenly gone and mission was back, he looked away and ran idle fingers over his tools before picking up a small needle like knife. She started to squirm and he slid off the table and stared at her stomach before grabbing her hip. He pulled her panties down just to uncover a hip,

"Gods . .. .help me . . ." She whined it out before whimpers escaped her. She looked up to the ceiling before clenching her teeth as he set the knife to her skin.

* * *

"Try to get some rest? You haven't slept in days. . . " She sighed before looking back out the window.

"I can't sleep. . ." Edward nodded to her,

"I understand, but at least try? You are wearing yourself down fast." She swallowed roughly and nodded with out looking away from the window. Edward looked to his muddied boots in defeat. They had ransacked the old labs in central. . .

* * *

_"I really hate this place." She shivered and ran her hands over her arms as if chilled, I felt bad for her._

_"I know, we will be in and out though." Soldiers ran in single file lines down hallways, I hoped this wasn't going to turn out into a blood bath. I didn't know if I could handle the suspense, would I be getting Medea back?_

_"I hope she is here . . . " I looked to Elaina, who was taking her gloves off._

_"I'll take this way." I nodded as a team followed behind her, I went straight._

* * *

"We searched that whole damn place." She'd said it under her breath to the window, her breath fogging it up in a rounded surface. She sat up straighter and turned to him,

"Edward, Winter is almost over, three months. Three months that she has been with him, thats if he hadn't .. . . " She looked to the floor, "Killed her yet. . . " Edward's gloved hands clenched,

"I know she is alive, I won't stop searching for her." She looked up to him, hurt in her eyes.

"I'm not saying to abandon this. But after we check the old hide out . . .and he isn't there . . then what?" He looked at her with pity, the labs had stripped her of her walls.

"You so sure that we can't accomplish this?" She shook her head, her hands open.

"Where do we go from there? I just don't know anymore." Her voice was barely above a whisper. He never looked away from her.

"I love her, more then I ever thought I'd love anyone outside my family, Elaina. She _is _my family, if it was Rich or Noah . . . I wouldn't ever give up. If it was Winry . . . " He looked so sad as she raised her head to look at him.

"What if Roy was missing and he was the only link to it?" She scoffed and shook her head.

"I'd be furious, I'd look for him until I found him . . ." Her expression was heartbreaking.

"But she isn't Edward. She isn't any of those people. You have a full family, they need you too." She hated herself for saying, it was true and she hated it. He put his hands to his face.

"I know . . .I know .. . " Tears threatened him at the thought of them forgetting her.

"So what happens if they arent there?" She was stern, they needed to think ahead. He was quiet for a long time before,

"I'll go back to my family, clean up Resembool . . .you can go back to Central . . ." She nodded slowly as if it hurt to move.

"But I won't stop trying, I'll hire someone thats good at tracking or something. Anything to keep trying to find her." She nodded in agreement.

"Sounds like a plan, I can help there for sure." He ran a hand down his face as he leaned back, he felt like he was betraying her still.

* * *

"I'll find a way to get you back." Her voice was weak, barely audible to human ears. The cutting stopped. Her eyes rolled as she tried to stay conscious.

"Oh really?" She hated that response. She was feeling different, she did everytime he did this to her. Her body lay there completely relaxed, blood pooling on the table. Her fingers clenched and unclenched.

"Don't you worry about it . . .I'll take . . .care of . . . it . . . " Her eyes closed and she was out. He shook her trying to wake her up, something was different with the way she was talking, it worried him. He set his toys down and started to unbuckle her,

"Get the tub ready." Lust sighed and pulled the blankets out before leaving the room, the door wide open. He smacked her cheeks a few times, not too hard just enough to move her but still she was gone. He let out his breath, the backs of his fingers resting against her now red cheeks tenderly.

"Perhaps you'll hate me now." He leaned down closer to her face and ran the tip of his nose over hers before travelling up the bridge and over her brow.

"Hate me enough to kill me." He whispered agianst her eye lid before resting his lips there, his own eyes foggy. Lust came back with steaming hot water in a bucket, she dumped it in the tub and left for more. After about four more bucket fulls it was ready for her in which he prompty undressed her and picked her up as if she weighed nothing before carefully setting her in the hot water. He sat next to the tub to make sure she didn't slip under.

* * *

**Good googly moogly im falling behind. Sorry these are coming so far apart and so short. Legit excuse! Death, births, school. That ought to do it. Mattane!**


	15. Worn Remembrance

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from FMA or from the creators of it.**

**A Heart Dressed in Wicked**

**Chapter 14.) Worn Remembrance**

* * *

Tears were coming, I knew it before they even had time to sting or swell up. I was so tired, tired and tired more. I hated these books now, hated seeing them, hated reading them and hated studying.

I'd taken up practicing circles, I drew more then I could count and memorized each and everyone of the bastards, hating those too. I wouldn't perform alchemy though, Edward had told me no, that I couldn't until I could tell him what 'one for all and all for one' meant. I thought I knew now but I couldn't tell him so I wouldn't perform.

I'd come to realize then that I really hated alchemy itself.

Which also made me realized that I'd already gone agaisnt my word, I'd already performed alchemy. I felt my tears falling as I remembered what I'd called forth. Punishment in the form of them keeping what ever the hell I'd made from the bodies of Amanda and Maxum alive. It made me sick the first time I saw it . . . I'd even thrown up.

I wasn't sure if it was still alive now though, didn't want to think about it really. It made me almost as upset as when I'd think about my sisters. Which made me think about when I'd finally leave this place. When I was dead and rotting.

* * *

She picked up the book she was reading roughly by the pages, throwing it at the far wall as a few pages tore out in mid air. She leaned against the table and put her hands to her face. She heard voices out in the hall and knew someone would come to investigate. She didn't care, they could all die and rot too.

She heard the door open but didn't look to see who, she was tired . . . just tired.

"What are you doing in here?" It was Lust, the last to the last of people or things she wanted to see. Medea didn't even look up, she wouldn't acknowledge her if she could help it. Lust looked to the book that had hit the wall, its old yellow pages falling out by the seams. She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Answer me." Medea rubbed her hands over her face and then over her bald head. Her hair was growing back out, only a quarter of an inch though. She let out a gust of air before going to the tub and moving some of the blankets around before slowly climbing in, her body was stiff especially from her newest wounds on her abdomen.

Lust grew an angry expression from being ignored. The frail girl acted as if she wasn't even there.

"You try my patience, I won't have this." Lust turned fully on her, watching her settle into her nest like bed before getting a blanket and covering herself completely. Another sigh could be heard and a muffled,

"Go away, and tell Neid that I'm finished. For good. Don't disturb me." Lust clenched her teeth and was ready to cut the mouthy girl up before she straightened. She turned,

"Oh I will, count on it. I'll tell him just that." She left with anger in her high-heeled stride, slamming the door loudly just to try and 'disturb' her.

* * *

I tried my best to get comfy in my 'coffin', I wondered faintly if it was possible to just lay here and die from just the will. The sheer will of wantI hoped so, I would soon be trying it.

I imagined home, Resembool and all the farms. I thought back to the school house and remembered how Darla would be there early to teach children that weren't hers, the one thing she wanted most. I missed her love, her smell, her hugs. Her slightly overweight body that didn't stop her from caring, that she didn't let slow her down. I missed her washing my hair and brushing it. I missed her unconditional love.

I thought to Lidia, my mean and angry sister. So bitter towards me. I loved her though and was most certain she had still loved me. I missed her voice, her eyes. She was always so beautiful. Her husband and loved her too, and that baby . . .she had been beautiful too. I almost smiled at the thought of how she had gotten the chance at family, so ironic that life would choose her and not Darla. How Lidia nearly failed . . . did fail. She'd most certainly floundered, a lot less then she would have had I not been there to help her. Help her despite how nasty she'd been to me. I did it cause I cared. I loved her.

I remembered the river bank where I first met Edward and Al, my heart ached the most for Ed. I missed his warmth, the encourgement I got from him and his family. Their love and acceptance of me. I missed the feel of his gaze on me as I studied or his attention. I missed the feeling I'd gotten when i was around him. I missed the hope for future he'd given me. I missed how I felt like a person around him, more then a thing or a baby. Alphonse had been so sweet and shy, like everyones kid brother. I missed the kids, Rich and Noah. I thought about how Rich had asked me to marry me, well, told me I was going to.

* * *

Envy had come in quietly, he sat at the work table waiting. He wasn't sure what he was waiting for really. He'd heard the annoying complaints from Lust and was growing tired of her fast like. She had a problem with Medea and it went beyong just casual anger or irritation. His brow raised as he heard small crying noises from his Hen. He couldn't see her under the blanket but he could certainly hear her. He grew more surprised at the sound of her laughing. A single watery laugh.

* * *

Winry had been like the elder sister I'd wanted, the one that told me everything and always asked how I was or if I needed anything. Her love for her family had always amazed me, she loved them so much you could see it on her, she dressed in it. She was the Wife, the Mother and t

I thought about going to Central with Ed, the first time I'd been out of Resembool. My heart hurt more at the memories I'd made there. With Elaina my near second mom and Roy, the real and serious Furher of Amestris, my near thirdish father. They both had tried so hard for me, given that there really hadn't been enough time to really do much. They had cared while they could. Loved while they could and would welcome me back when they could.

"I miss you. . ." It was too hot under the blanket from me crying so much, too much breath and not enough air but I didn't care.

"I miss you so much." I did, I missed them all. My blood sisters, the Elrics, Elaina and Roy. I missed them all. Hell, I missed Amanda and even that asshole Maxum. I didn't want to be here anymore.

* * *

He had gotten off of the table and had gone to the tub, sitting next to it to listen to her. She had started mumbling things in between her sobs and somewhere in the middle of it all and started to weep. He wasn't sure why he was caring whether or not she was crying, why the heartbroken sounds coming from her was making him feel strange. Made him want to make her stop.

* * *

I couldn't leave though, not by choice if given it. I hated myself for it. I loved him, and I hated it. How could I? Why? He was so beautiful, so powerful. Yet he was so cruel and misguided.

Misguided.

What if he wasn't misguided, what if there was a way to show him a different way of living if thats what you call it. A new life, a new path.

He had to stop torturing me though, I couldn't take much more of it. I was going mad from all this. How had he lived like this in the first place. . . .always hurting and hating. It was nearly impossible to fathom such an existance.

I then thought about leaving again and realized I never really thought about what I would do. There wasn't really anything for me to go back to. Resembool was gone, burnt and dead. I thought about what Edward had gone back to and my heart ached all over again. His home gone. His family dead. Well, I didn't know if they were or not, I prayed no, they weren't dead. I wondered if he considered that I was alive, or if he had just assumed I was gone like my sisters. I thought about Central, what would I do there?

I remembered once upon a time when I wanted to be an Alchemist, an Alchemist of the State. Under the Furher and for my Country. Could it be possible to still do that? If I could stop being so dead?

* * *

His pale hand touched the side of the basin, cool metal against cool flesh. He rapped his knuckles lightly twice and saw the blanket jerk. He smiled, he'd scared her.

"Little Hen. . .little Hen . . . " She sniffed a bunch and he shook his head.

"I'm trying to sleep." He rolled his eyes at her muffled voice, she hadn't even tried to hide the fact she'd been crying merciliessly.

"I thought you were trying to make thunderstorms." He heard her chuckle and knew there was something wrong. She never laughed nor smiled. He could understand of course, humans didn't like the kind of lifestyle he had given. Had her mind finally gave out?

"Aren't you hungry? Wouldn't you rather have some food before you . . .sleep?" She sighed heavily under the blanket before it pulled down over her bald head. Her face was wet and her eyes were puffy and red. He rested his chin on the edge and waited for her answer, she seemed to look at things that weren't there.

"I don't think I'm really all that hungry. Whats there to eat?" He gave a lazy smile and she finally looked at him.

"What do you want?" She looked back to the place she had been staring at before.

"You." She mumbled but it didn't fall on deaf ears. He fell placid like and looked at his hand observantly.

"Not so sure this is edible." She shrugged, she was sure that getting the food would be something to fight over and she had no energy for it. It had been three days since their last bit and she was done. His hand fell in the tub but didn't quite touch her.

"Lust tells me you are having tempermant issues. . .." He pouted as he looked to the torn up book. He looked back down at her and saw her eyes were half closed. He trailed a cool pale finger over a now exposed shoulder which was just as pale and very boney.

"Whatever." Her lips barely moved, her breathing was slowing. He leaned in, nothing. No reaction. He almost growled but stopped, her scent was strange. Not quite different but like something was on the eve. Was she getting sick? He pulled himself up and leaned in more, allowing himself to nearly slither in the tub around her. He waited for her to move, so jerk, anything.

She scooted over and made room for him.

He gave her a mean look but none the less curled around her. He was a little taller then her so he fit around her perfectly as she lay on her side. He put his arm over where he thought her waist would be and waited. Nothing. He let out a breath of his own before settling for laying his head down. He snuggled in the bedding, curled tight around her.

"If you are trying to make me uncomfortable its not working." her voice was slurred, she was nearly asleep.

"I'm just a tired young man. I want to sleep too, bed hog." She started to smile and he couldn't say he didn't like it. It was odd on her face, one because it wasn't a happy smile persay and two he'd not really ever seen her smile.

"I see three things wrong with what you just said. " He put his mouth to her ear and whispered,

"Oh? Indulge me." He waited for her to move her head away from her, she didn't of course.

"No, I see four now. One you aren't young, two you aren't a man, three you don't sleep and four this isn't a bed." He grinned again, turning things around in his head.

"Oh, clever? How do you know I'm not a man? How do you know I don't sleep? Do you watch me?" Her eyes opened and he felt achieved. She seemed to think hard before turning her head to try and look at him, their faces close together.

"Do you have a gender? Do you sleep?" He looked into her eyes, one hazel gold and one blind blue. He leaned in like he would kiss her and suddenly had a devious smirk.

"Why don't you check and see?" Her face flushed and she quickly looked away, turning her head back to the way it was.

"Go to sleep young man, its way passed your bed time." He grinned, sufficient reaction.

"Oh ho hooo, nice one." She tilted her head in thanks but stiffened as she felt his lips barely graze her cheek, his false breath pushing along her jaw like a ghost. He pulled back the blanket enough to get his hand under and find hers before bringing it back out. He looked at her fingers before lacing them through, his palm on the outer top of hers. He began to move her hand down.

"What are you do-Nooooooo!" Her voice dipped before sprawling with a high soprano as he forced her hand down further. She squirmed more and louder higher No's and Please don'ts filled the room. He set her clenched hand at his lower stomach, she could feel his abdomenal muscles clench.

"Please no, just cut me up, break something but please. . . " Her voice whined out, fear on her face. He set his mouth to her ear again and made a small soothing shush sound, before he slid her hand further. She was shaking with fear and her eyes were clenched, he rubbed her hand down more until he could cup her hand over his crotch area. He pressed more and she felt him swallow. She stopped shaking and calmed down.

"There . . .there isn't a . . " He chuckled and released her hand.

"I'm efficiently a nothing." She pulled her hand back under the blanket faster then she thought she could move. His tone was mocking, as if to make fun of himself that wasn't exactly himself.

"You are something, just not a gender maybe. . . " He gave a husky growl his voice suddenly deeper and older.

"Oh, I can have one .. . "She saw the familiar flash and he pressed against her and she ripped out a scream. The flash happened again and he fell back against the other side laughing.

She pulled the blanket over her head and tried her best to get to sleep as she had planned. Before she could she prayed that his good mood would stay.

* * *

She hated seeing him look so heartbroken. She couldn't near stand it, the almost dead look in his eyes.

"Edward." He continued to stare at the dashboard.

"Edward." She waved her gloved hand infront of him. He blinked and slowly turned to look at her. It was almost as if he wasn't really there, or as if she wasn't really there. She wasn't sure which. She could only look back, she realized she didn't have anything to say . . .nothing she could say could fix things anyways. Saying anything wouldn't bring her back. She thought about it and realized there was one thing neither of them had even thought about. She looked past him, out the car window and onto the porch of a city apartment. There sat Alphonse in a chair. He was waiting patiently.

"We are here?" She gave Ed a concerned look as he nodded, getting out and opening the trunk and grabbing a bag out, he slammed the trunk down and the force made the car bounce just slightly on it's tires. He turned to the apartment building and didn't look back or wave. He went in the door and that was it of him. Alphonse gave an apologetic look and walked to the car as Elaina leaned over to roll down the window. He leaned in,

"He looks awful." She nodded with a sad expression.

"He is taking this really hard. Much harder than I thought actually." Alphonse looked to the black leather seat and sighed.

"Yeah, I can only imagine. . ." Elaina seemed to think hard for a moment before looking back up,

"You know, I don't think either of us considered that maybe she . . . just died there . . . you know? There was a lot of bodies that no one could identify. . .maybe she'd been one of them. Maybe we'd been looking for a girl that had already died?" Neither liked that outcome, but neither couldn't say it wasn't a better fate. Alphonse wasn't sure about the tone Elaina had taken either, it made him worry more. They stayed there in silence for a long time before he bit his lip before patting the door.

"Have a safe trip Elaina. Call when you get there." She nodded before leaning back over to roll it back up. He waited until she drove off to go back inside the apartment to fend off the depression that strangled his brother.

* * *

I stared into lavender eyes, bright and mischievous, hint of impatience. Neid was trying to get me out of my nest. I shook my head.

"I can't." He squinted his eyes.

"Why not? I haven't broken your legs off." I sighed. No , no you haven't.

"Something else is broken. . ." He punched the basin and it dented, jerking me around.

"And what could that be?I haven't broken anything yet." I sighed and gave him my new smile, his near angry tone was lovely.

"Oh, but you have. It's just not seen with eyes." He growled.

"I'm going to really break you in a minute if you don't get your ass out of that tub." I gave him a thumbs up. He growled more.

"Get in here with me, I like pretending you are my sister." I expected him to growl again but he didn't.

"I can be." I shook my head, no pain filled me.

"No, you can't. You can look like her but you can't be her. Besides, she is dead." All was quiet, I didn't feel anything towards it either. Darla was dead.

"Darla is dead. Lidia is dead. That little baby Dorothy is dead. Mom and Father are dead. Everyone is dead." I started to laugh as I saw him moving around the tub to my right side and I could see him clearer.

"Guess what." He kneeled, a soft look in his eyes. I didn't know if I liked that look or not.

"I'm dead too." He leaned forward, his arms resting on the rim. He reached over and felt for my pulse before pulling back.

" 'fraid not Hen." I nodded and started to laugh before I placed a hand over my heart,

"In here I am. " I looked back to him. His eyes were twirling, bright and light. Like universes. He was confused and I did like that. I had confused him, he would think about this. Think about a broken heart.

"I have only you left. Death and the dead. We make a neat pair." All emotion melted from his face and it became lifeless, pun intended.

"Is that so bad?" I blinked , I hadn't really expected it from him. I hadn't really thought about all this from his perspective. Not really even cared to until now maybe.

"Don't really matter if it is."

* * *

He stared at his pet that was in ruins before him. Her mind had surely unravelled. Gone away unless she was orchestrating it all, he couldn't think of a reason why she would.

She had been laughing when she suddenly stopped mid laugh. Her face slowly became indifferent, as if she was seeing a new species of animal and wasn't sure what to make of it. She rose up slowly with an akward swing,

"I have to go to the bathroom." He nodded, what else could he do? Well, he could let her soil herself but that always ended more unpleasant for him. He let her drag herself out of the tub and to the door. He didn't even follow her.

* * *

I walked down the cellar hallway, the irony of it all. I got to the wooden door that led upstairs and found myself in the kitchen. I looked at the island, Roy's coffee cup from before sitting there still. I ran my hands over the top as I walked past it. Out the kitchen and into another hallway and there was a tiny service bathroom. My stomach was hurting, something I ate. Though it didn't feel like a run of the mill tummy pain, it was more like an inner deeper ache.

I must have sat there forever, long enough that I was surprised Envy hadn't come banging on the door demanding to know what was taking so long. Nothing was. Nothing. I didn't have to go to the bathroom but the hurts were getting worse. I must be sick. I faintly wondered if there was harmful mold down there.

I washed my hands staring at the mirror. I looked so much more different then how I remembered myself. The mirror had always been here but honestly I'd never thought of looking at myself.

My angles were less soft and more prominent, my face more long. I was almost skeletal thin, which didn't make much sense since I ate plenty these days. I could tell I was much taller then before but by much I couldn't say.I saw my left eye and didn't care that it didn't match my right. I had a lot of new thin scars coming in on my face and I didn't care about those either. I looked away and finally left.

* * *

The new scent was stronger then before and it was driving him crazier. He had put his hand over the place where she'd certainly lain and felt nothing other then her warmth a warmth that was already leaving from her absence. What could that scent be? He felt it double as she walked back in, which was more of a draggin her feet then walking. He wasn't sure if he wanted to ask her what took so long, wasn't sure he wanted to hear that she was sick. She didn't say anything on it either, just seemed to lumber to the book she threw a day ago. She hollowed a path and leaned over to pick it up, gathering the papers.

"Poor thing, did mama hurt you?" He quirked an eyebrow at her odd words as she walked to the work table and set it there. She seemed out of it almost. That smelt was suddenly bright and powerful, he wrinkled his nose. She turned around held a strange expression, her arms going over her stomach.

"Ugh . . .something is wrong." Blood, he smelt new blood.

"Did you cut yourself upstairs?" She shook her head no but suddenly went rigid. She looked down at her stomach and then her legs before reaching down and running her hand slowly up her left leg, she stopped and pulled her hand back. Her eyes went wide and her face went deathly pale. Her hand began to shake horribley and he stood, wondering what it was.

"Hen?" She swayed and he thought she was going to pass out. Her hand shakingly held out, showing her palm. A smear of blood. His brow came down as he looked to her legs, a small trickle had found its way to her knee. She started to tremble before one long high pitched scream belted from her throat. From then on it was one long fearfilled scream after another. Envy didn't know what to do, she held her hands out as if scared to touch anything. He came to her, taking her face and trying to draw her near to calm her and stop the painful screaming but she ripped free and backed herself into the table. He went behind the table and got a rag before he stepped in front of her and wiping the blood up before taking her hand that was still shaking widely and making her hold it, the rag, to herself. He patted her cheek and shushed her, she had stopped screaming and started to take in deep gulps of air, tears going down her cheeks.

Lust came in, a curious look before her face wrinkled. Envy went back to the tub, taking all the blankets out of it. He heard Medea finally started to get her breathing right,

"Am .. . I . . .dieing?" He looked back, incredulously.

"You lived with women and you don't even know what this is?" She started to shake violently.

"Look, girl. You are just on your cycle. It's not a big deal. In about a week or so you will stop bleeding." Her eyes went wide again at Lust's words.

"A WHOLE WEEK?" Her eyes started to roll back in her head and Envy rushed to get to her before her head crashed into the floor. He looked to Lust and have her the silent order to get warm bath water for the tub.


	16. Envy's Best Friend

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from FMA or from the creators of it.**

**A Heart Dressed in Wicked**

**Chapter 15.) Envy's Best Friend**

* * *

It was early spring, I sat on the porch in a wicker chair reading a new sort of book. In fact, I was reading it out loud . . . to an audience. Neid sat before me, listening intently as I read an Epic. He spoiled me every now and then,allowingme to come out here for fresh air. Spending so much time in a basement had turned my body against the outside, I grew chilled easier and the sun was nearly impossible for my good eye to handle.

However, I had started to change in other ways as well. Like bleeding for a week . . . once a month. I often had pains, in my chest or limbs that had nothing to do with abuse. Lust would tell me it was natural. Something about puberty. It sounded an awful lot like purgatory. I ate a lot more and still gained nothing as well as sleeping more. I was growing taller I guessed cause they had to keep getting me bigger clothing.

I started a weird habit of looking in the mirror for long periods of time, examining my body or face. I wanted to grow out my hair but every few months it would be shaved with out fail. I asked why and he would never answer me, I had a suspicion it had something to do with the fact that Elaina had been bald in both lab pictures.

I looked up from the poem and looked at him, he leaned against a beam staring out into the still barren trees as if he saw things other then that. He looked back to me as if to check that I was still there and I resumed the story.

* * *

The sun was high in the sky and no clouds in sight. A light and cool breeze blew through which made Medea pull the rusty colored blanket a little tighter around her small frame as she read to Envy. It had been atleast two months since he last cut on her and she was sure that he'd gotten bored of doing it. She was glad of course, but he had made it a habit of pushing her buttons to see her go off or break down. He especially tried her the most during her hormonal stages of the month, to see how far he could push her.

He watched her read now, the way her eyes moved back and forth and how her long thick lashes framed her light colored eyes. He found her left blind one to be the most beautiful and he wasn't sure why. She turned the page and he resettled, he liked when she would flicker her gaze over the page to sneak a glance at him. He wasn't sure it was out of fear anymore, he didn't really think she was afraid of anything now. The last scare having been her menstrual cycling or whatever it was called.

A small black bird landed on the railing directly next to him, a giant seed in its black beak. It stared at him for a moment, its beady black eyes seeming to size him up. Medea stopped reading and looked at them, staring each other down. Then suddenly the little black bird started to beat down on the railing with the seed. It was annoying but it was rather funny to see Neid watching it as if he'd like to punch it.

It stopped and looked back at him, sizing him up again. The bird seemed to have no fear of the death bringing creature before it.

"Shoo, pest." The little bird hopped forward, cocking his head every which way. Medea faintly wondered if he would kill it if it got close enough. It started to beat on the seed again and she couldn't help but smile.

"Geez, you are like someone else I know. Irritating as hell." She started to chuckle as he talked to the bird about her, the bird didn't even pretend to be listening. She crossed her legs, watching. It cracked the seed and started to pick through its contents eating what it wanted to. It looked to Envy as if to demand him to get him some so it didn't have to find it itself. He raised a fine brow,

"Pft . . ." She smiled again as the bird flew off. She opened the book back up ready to pick up where she left off when the little black bird returned with another seed. Envy gave it a 'you've got to be kidding' look. She grinned,

"Looks like your bestfriend is back." He rolled his eyes at her joke and grumbled. He turned away from it and gave her a look to hurry up and get on with the story. She almost smiled again but resumed.

* * *

Rich and Noah were playing out in the tiny courtyard of the apartment they'd gotten in Central, Ed sat in the shade watching them chase each other until Winry came out with a glass of tea for him. She sat in the chair next to him, she hadn't seen her husband smile in months.

She was worried for him, the way he seemed so stricken as if not even really there. She hadn't really understood how much he'd loved Medea until she was gone. She hadn't realized how much she'd been apart of the family until she never came back. Winry turned to see Lidia walking towards them, her frame had gone from luscious lady to sickly woman.

"Nice that the cold is gone." WInry nodded, looking to Edward to see his answer. She asked for too much apparently because he only stared off after the kids. She knew he didn't see them though and that he was seeing something far different.

* * *

_"Hey, it's going to be alright. I wouldn't let anything happen to you, right?"_ She had trusted him, trusted that he'd be there to protect her. He'd failed her and ultimately he had failed himself. He gave a long sigh, thinking how things had been before. How he'd missed seeing her laugh and her smile. Her voice still there but it seemed already certain details were fading. He wondered if anyone else was having the same difficulty.

"Daddy! Will you come play with us?" It was Rich, he was at his lap, hands on his father's knees. Edward looked into his sons eyes, both his children seemed to be growing faster then he cared for. He reached out and ruffled his sons hair.

"Maybe tomorrow." He leaned back and tried not to see the disappointment in Rich's bright eyes.

"Alright . . ." He turned around and shook his head at Noah, her shoulders sagged. They both knew he wouldn't play tomorrow either. They wondered if he'd ever play with them again, Winry hated seeing this in her family. Her family was falling apart because of one snipped thread.

Winry couldn't do a thing about it either.


	17. Sloth

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from FMA or from the creators of it.**

**A Heart Dressed in Wicked**

**Chapter 16.) Sloth**

* * *

Summer was here and all the doors and windows were open to let in as much fresh air as possible. The large house had turned into a sort of prison since a half year ago, at least I had a bit more free reign now though. I'd never had thought that this place would be a hell for me, it had been here for me as a safe haven and now look at it. Go figure. I looked out one of the open windows in 'my' bedroom as the curtains fluttered and the shears danced in the breezes, the trees were full and thick and seemingly endless. My endless prison. I saw a flock of starlings swoop up and over the trees, far above my head. They were loud and obnoxious and the sun glinted off their starry spots. One of those was probably Envy's 'bestfriend', she'd started a nest on the porch just shortly after we'd met her so maybe some of those were her children too. He called her Star . . .real creative. He talked trash to them, her babies and such, made fun of them and all that but I could tell he enjoyed them. His little family of birds, Star's family. I couldn't help but shake my head at that thought. His negative words were actually his affection, how turned around he was. I turned around to head out, it was lunch time and I was starving, I could smell Irving being a wizard in the kitchen downstairs. No one had to tell me to get there.

* * *

Irving was cooking up noodles and veggies, Medea's mouth watered at the smells. Irvng was some poor sap that Envy had probably bullied into slavery. He was a big man who stood just a little over six feet tall, broad shoulders and beer belly. His head was a little too small for his body and his graying hair was thin, a small bald circle was starting at the top of his head. His blue eyes were almost kind but worn in a way that said he'd seen much suffering in his time. He was also an alchemist which had originally made her think he was some guy that had been picked up in one of the previous rades (Envy wasn't doing that anymore apparently). He held a large amount of respect for the tiny teenager, not only did she put up with more physical and emotional pain then an army of men could she was one hell of a researcher. He'd seen her work and was extremely impressed with the frail girl, she'd be a seriously powerful alchemist when the day came.

She sat at the island and Irving smiled at her, he was missing a few teeth. He was about the only one there that wasn't about violence and pain. He also reminded her of Edward, he too had an automail arm and she clung to the ideals of getting to see that familiar glint of metal again.

"Hungry?" His deep gruff voice made her think of someones grandpa that had been in the military, she faintly wondered how far off she was. Medea nodded to answwer him before running a hand over the top of her head. Envy was letting her keep a strip of hair up there, she wasn't sure how long he'd let it get though, she wasn't sure that it would look all that great as is. She didn't want to look like a boy anymore but there wasn't much she could really do these days in concern to argueing with him (it made her wonder if he was . . ..'fond' of boys). It seemed he too had his own hormonal days, days he would be extra easy to piss off. He had a melt down just a few days prior and her right arm was bandaged up, he'd nearly broken it.

A large platter was set before her, noodles and chicken and vegetables. Looked as good as it smelt and she was positive it tasted better. Irving was a wonderful cook. He set a few bowls of fruit around them and got her a glass of water. She wasn't sure why he constantly doted on her, maybe it was the way she appeared, a willowy part-girl that was about to break into pieces, or perhaps it had been some order to do so. Maybe he was a grandfather and she reminded him of that duty as he had reminded her of her teacher.

She didn't need to be told to dig in and start eating, she was hungry like no other. She started to shovel it into her mouth and Irving chuckled.

"I'm glad I get to cook for you, I love seeing that lively expression wake up in your face, girly." She swallowed her food before almost grinning.

"You could ressurect the dead with your food Irving, its just that good." She lifted her glass of water like a toast before taking a drink of it and returning to eating. He grinned at her before eating it himself. She saw he was about to say something before his eyes diverted back to his plate, Medea turned to see Lust and some weird man.

"Hurry up here, Envy wishes you downstairs." She made a point to bring a large fork full as slowly as she could to her mouth all the while looking at her. She slowly chewed it and let a lot of it drop back onto her plate before giving her a large and rude smile. She saw black covered fists clench.

"I will not put up with you today, I mean it girl." She rolled her eyes at the demoness. She continued to eat. She could care less about Lust, she had the power to kill Medea but she didn't have the authority to do so. Lust feared Envy more then she hated Medea.

"Who's the newbie?" The little man tensed up and tried to subtly move to hide himself behind Lust. His hair was short and brown, skin pale and eyes were lavender. Yet he didn't have the fierce look Lust and Envy had. He was new. He wore a vest like attachment that showed his belly button that connected his shorts together with those red strips. His posture was awful and he had that too skinny appearance. Darty nervous eyes but had a tired look. Had he met Envy yet? She somehow didn't think he had.

"Fresh meat." She pointed her fork at him and gave him her best crazy eyes, she heard Irving snort behind her trying to keep his laughs in. The new sin shielded himself behind Lust who held a hand up to her temple.

"Just hurry up, I want to do this in one trip." So he hadn't met him yet. She did grin then, before shuffling the food around into a pile and taking it in big scoops. She wanted to see this.

"What is this one?" Lust looked at her with a cynical look, one eyebrow up in question.

"His 'sin'." Lust shifted heels and gave an exasperated sigh as if she didn't have the time to tell her.

"Sloth." She tried not to say anything more as she finished up her food. She downed her water and stood up before stretching her arms upward, the shirt she was wearing would should her stomach from that action. She let her arms fall (though it caused her hurt arm a tiny bit of pain) and saw that it made Sloth jump. Was he scared of her? Lust walked ahead, Sloth nearly up her ass as they made their way to the cellar. Medea turned to Irving,

"Thanks for the food." He waved as she dissappeared outside. He hoped she'd be alright.

* * *

"What is this?" Medea tried not to smile as Neid gestured to Sloth with an annoyed expression. Lust shifted almost in a nervous fashion, Medea would pay to see a fight between them.

"Sloth, I told you . . ." She looked away from his steely gaze before Envy waved his hand.

"Do something with it, it's pathetic." Medea snorted much like Irving had and put the back of her hand to her mouth. Envy looked at her before nodding towards the table.

"Books, get there." She sighed and stood her ground, Sloth was in the doorway half turned as Lust walked away. He was like a deer frozen in the midst of danger.

"I don't feel like it. It's nice out." Envy went to the 'bed' and crawled into it before lazily pointing to the table.

"Don't make me tell you a second time." She looked at Sloth, his eyes wide, his fear wasn't directed from Envy though, it was at her.

"Technically a third since that would basically have your second." A growl was heard,

"How about I break both your arms this time and then tie you to the table?" She sighed,

"You didn't break this one the first time, and I'll pass. It's too nice out to be cooped up in here. I'm sure Star feels lonely. . .maybe you should visit her. . ." His hands reached up to grip the sides and pull himself up where he glared at her.

"Are you argueing with me?" She smiled and nodded, this was how her arm had been hurt a few days ago, the new game. Mouth him until he had a melt down. She saw Sloth was like a statue in the doorway as he watched her like she was a monster. It was confusing to her. Neid raised a fist,

"So help me . . . If I have to tell you again I swear I'll-"

"Do what?" She had put her hands on her hips and pouted at him. He was getting out of the tub then and walking calmly to her where he grabbed her by the back of the neck roughly.

"See, if you let my hair grow out you'd have something funner to grab ahold of." She grinned as he shoved her into the table roughly, it almost made all the books topple off.

"I'm about three seconds away from skinning you." His voice had been tight and monotonous, she didn't doubt he would. Her eyes flickered to Sloth whom was still at the door, her goldeny eye the only one with sight.

"Alright, then can I go outside?" She saw his jaw clench, he was silent and she knew that when he was silent . . . it was much worse then him being loud. Like the calm before a really bad storm. He leaned forward,

"If you don't study for at least an hour, I'll make you eat the fat off of Irving." His eyes were like flames from hell, she sighed and turned away form him and opening a book.

"Gross." He nodded and walked to the door where the scared Sloth stood rigid, he moved out of his way as he near glided past him and surprisingly stopped. He leaned into Sloth who almsot leaned away and with a small voice,

"Your first assignment, worm, keep her in here. " He nearly shook as Envy left him there in the threshold before he scrambled in to the room.

"Don't let him bully you, surely you can fight back." He looked at her wide eyes and she put a hand on the table.

"Whats your deal? Why do you look at me like that?" He took a steadying breath and his voice came out like fog over the sea, light and airy and very slow.

"You scare me more then the Devil." She wondered who the devil really was. She shook her head as she heard the cell door slam and knew he was gone from the cellar, she gave another look to Sloth.

"How? I'm just a little girl."

"And I'm just a bunny rabbit." She looked at him and he flinched.

"It's your eyes. . .almost as if . . " He looked away, those light lavender orbs nothing like Neids. " as if you are the walking dead. No life . . ." He found a chair that wasn't trashed and sat in it, leaving his new ward in silence.

* * *

**Short, and a bit late sorry. I live 10 mins away from Joplin, MO and its been hectic since the tornado.**


	18. Rain Conquers

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from FMA or from the creators of it.**

**A Heart Dressed in Wicked**

**Chapter 17.) Rain Conquers**

* * *

It was breakfast time, eggs and bacon galore was about the wooden island in the kitchen. Large ole Irving hadn't even sat down yet before Medea began pile driving the delicious food into her mouth. He looked to a stool that had its back to a wall and was closest to the exit into the backyard. Sloth sat in it, his small form malnourished looking and weak. Medea acted as if the newest sin never existed however. He was her new shadow and Irving was astounded by her once again. Able to ignore something like Sloth was a feat he thought only she could accomplish. She'd grown so much since he'd first met her.

Thunder crashed outside and Irving jumped followed by a grin and a heavy chuckle. Medea grinned at him as best as she could with her mouth full and when she finally swallowed,

"Gee Irving, scared by a little nature?" He shook his head with a silly smile, his missing teeth 'showing'. Rain came pouring heavy on the roof of the large mansion like house, it beat against the windows and Medea found it a bit soothing if anything. Surely not scary or startling. It soon became loud from the rain alone and she felt even more better, she approved of the noise, glad for something other then silence and foot falls, she found that the sound of breathing drove her insane too.

When she was done with her plate she stood up, wobbled on her feet a few seconds, and took it to the sink. Irving's fork could barely be heard scraping across his plate as he took his time. She walked to a window and leaned against it and watched the downpour outside. The trees and the grass looked slick from rain. It was a warm day, she wanted to go outside . ..

Sloth stood as Medea went to the door and tried to walk out. She shoved him roughly as he tried to grab her from going outside, his back hit the wall and she ran.

She could have run further then she did, but she stopped at the tree line. Her face looked up and her arms spread wide. She laughed as she started to spin around in the muddy yard. Just laughed. She jumped in the puddles, the rain washing any mud that found its way onto her. It seemed like ages that she'd been out there, soaked to the bone and laughing. She'd laughed so much that her face hurt. She had a huge smile on her face, looking to the opened back door it faltered a little. Envy was there, leaning against the threshold. He didn't seem angry though, despite that she wasn't allowed outside with out his permission. His eyes . . they almost seemed . . .warm? She took a few steps back, the rain was starting to slow down.

His hand came out of the house, the rain falling into it. He cupped some and then let it run through his fingers like time seemed to do for him. She was crazy, crazy enough to hold her hand out and beckon the Devil outside with her. He tilted his head but came, the rain quickly soaking him too. He looked up then and he too let the cold rain soothe away all responsiblities from his pale face. She saw him close his eyes and wonder what he was thinking. She wondered how far away she could get.

Not far.

She walked closer to him, he might decide to hit her anyways but she found herself not caring. The rain suddenly stopped, as if someone had turned a sky faucet off. The droplets that had collected on his skin shone like crystals as a few rays of sun escaped the bondage of the clouds. His dark hair was a stark black, from the wetness and it clung to him, iridescent colors marking him the non-human he was. Beautiful was the creature when he was shrouded in darkness . . .and divine when shrouded in light. Never changing truley, oh he could become something different, only on the outside. He never really changed though. She started to understand the sin Envy itself a little more deeply. Possibly understand him a little better. She wanted to cry for him, he truly was a pitiful creature.

He lifted his arms up, shaking head as he watched water drip from him. He looked to Medea then, seeing the water drip off her too. His hand came out reaching towards her face, she looked away as she anticipated his hit. She didn't expect the gentle touch of his thumb wiping under her lip, his rare gentleness that peaked out at the oddest of times.

"You are a goddamn filthy mess, Hen." She looked to him, his eyes lit up with an unfamiliar glint. She remembered seeing such a look on the little ones that used to play at the river. She leaned away before kneeling down and grabbing up mud, she saw him stepping away but too late, she hit him in the stomach.

"Now you are too." She laughed as he grinned, wiping it off and slinging what was left at her. She screamed with laughter as they proceded to throw mud at eachother. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had so much fun, and here they were, both covered in mud. Children from her Home never played with her like this, they never allowed her to enjoy herself around them. She saw him chuckling as they both stopped so she could catch her breath. She leaned forward and put her hands to her knees, still laughing.

"I'm surprised you haven't hit me yet. Must be a new record." He scoffed and rolled his bright eyes.

"I'll get you when you aren't expecting it, don't worry." She grinned at him as he took his long hair and rung it out.

"You should . . . let me grow mine out . . ." She tried to be coy sounding, knowing she could sound seductive and it wouldn't change him mind. He wiped mud off his face, a serious look in his lavender eyes.

"So the next time I get pissed at you I can scalp you by grabbing and yanking too hard?" Her mouth fell open.

"Is that really why you wont let me?" He chuckled.

"Basically." She stood straight and put her muddy hands to her . . .muddy hips.

"Well maybe if you stopped being so violent and abusive you wouldn't have to worry about such things." He threw a finger at her,

"If you were more obedient I wouldn't have to be." She rolled her eyes,

"If you weren't such an asshole all the time maybe I would." He opened his mouth to say something back but nothing came out. She grinned, knowing she was right.

"Thats bullshit." She shrugged.

"So you are saying that if I treated you like my equal with respect you would be more obedient?" Her mouth dropped for the second time before anger went through her.

"See! Like that! You are such a dick!" She stomped her foot, mud splashed up and got Envy in the chest. He growled and stomped back splashing her with muddy water. Soon they were back to throwing mud at each other.

She was throwing mud by both hands at him before he lunged at her and took her down, both of them clearly having a good time. Neither of them expected his mouth to find hers, or her hands not to push him away but pull him towards her. Neither felt themselves as they kissed passionately, one a lot less experienced then the other.

She was the first to realize what was going on and pulled away with a small gasp. She saw the brightness of lavender and blur of black and Envy was gone. She sat up, her face in shock, her body numb.

* * *

What was that? Envy had been kissing me! I had been kissing him! We'd both . . .been kissing . . like normal people.

I remembered the couples from Resembool, remembered the other teens.

What had happened here. . . .we weren't a couple and Envy sure as hell wasn't a teen. So what had that been? I stood up, my body was numb, my mouth tingled. I looked to the forest and wondered if I could get far now. Probably not. I began to make my way back to the house, Sloth was there in the threshold and I rudely pushed him again efficiently smearing mud all over him. Irving was there at the island, he looked worried, had they both seen what had happened? I shrugged it off and went to go use one of the showers from upstairs.

Sloth grabbed my arm and I surprised myself by bring my hand up and near punching him in the face. I got him in the throat though and he staggered.

"Don't touch me." My voice was trembling, it was weird. Once up the stairs I turned left and found myself in one of the many full bathrooms. I turned on the shower and took my clothes off before going to the mirror. I'd changed so much, I could see that my hips were wider and my chest was . . .well. . .more then a chest now. I noted that my mouth was swollen . . . and now adhorned a frown. I shook my head and got into the shower, i needed to get the mud off.

* * *

She stood outside the door to the cellar. Her's and Envy's 'room'. She wrung her hands too nervous to just barge in like she always did. She took deep breaths, why should she be nervous? Why would this time be any different then the others? She nodded, working up a false bravery. She slowly opened the door and took baby steps inside before closing the door behind her. She didn't see Neid right away, infact, she wouldn't have seen him had she not been making her way towards the 'bed' where she could see behind the stack of books at her work table. He looked up and squinted to her before snapping and pointing to her stack of books.

"You, study. Now." She rolled her eyes.

"I'm done with all of those. I'm tired and I'm going to lay down." It was barely afternoon but she really was tired, all that playing around she supposed.

"Well read them again." She folded her arms.

"You read them." She heard his familiar growl and wondered if he'd throw them at her. She began to crawl into the tub,

"I'll suffocate you then." She shrugged.

"Alright." Crawling into the tub she curled up and pulled one of the blankets over her. Only to have it yanked off. She gave a thick scowl and leaned up.

"Do you mind? " She held her hand out for the blanket, he growled again and held it away. He then wrapped it around him and stuck his tongue out at her. She gave him a straight face.

"Thats really mature Envy, I swear, you get older by the day." She then wondered back to their whatever incident outside from earlier. She scooted over.

"Keep your appendages to yourself." She patted next to her. She didn't have faith that it would work. She actually expected him to beat her over it. Instead he slowly inched forward and crawled in like some snake. She sighed as he pulled her under the blanket with him.

"Hey, how did you get clean?" She wondered if he could change to a clean form or something. She never got her answer though, she was thankful for another none abusive moment.

* * *

**It's super short and I'm not satisfied with it. I think I maybe went to fast its kind of a filler/fix so eh : / Hopefully I can get my motivation to continue faster and the inspiration to make the chapters more longer and more . . . well, readable/wanted to be read**


	19. It's Not Poison, Only Love

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from FMA or from the creators of it.**

**A Heart Dressed in Wicked**

**Chapter 18.) It's Not Poison, Only Love**

* * *

It was raining again, it seemed to always rain here. Noah coughed, her face pressed against the cold window watching the rain fall. I reached over and tugged her pigtail, she shrugged me off with a hateful look. Before she'd have yelled and try to get me back, it would lead to us playing tag or hide and seek. Not now, now only anger and irritation.

It was Dad's fault. He wasn't ever home anymore. Only me and Noah and Nina and Mommy. Sometimes Uncle Al and on very rare days Lidia. I didn't really like her though, so I was glad she wasn't over often. I looked at Mommy, holding a crying Nina was really annoying, thats all she did was cry. I wished Dad would come home. . .

* * *

Winry was trying her best to be strong, strong for her babies and for herself. It was hard taking care of three children, especially now that Edward spent most of his time at the Lab studying and working. He came home maybe once a month, she guessed she should be thankful he came back at all. After Medea . . .everything had changed, for the worst it would seem.

She was in her living room at their new city apartment, rocking a fussy Nina. She could tell that her son was just like his father in the fact his will was great, he always tried his best to help her. She thought that maybe Noah was too young to realize how hard things were, she was also worried cause she'd had a bad cough since winter. She was also thankful for Alphonse who took time off of studying afar to help her, she felt that with out that little bit she'd have already been at her wits end.

She pursed her lips feeling that a fight would insue as she saw Heinrich pull on his sisters hair. Her eyebrows raised when Noah merely gave him a dirty look and continued to look out the window. The hurt look on Heinrichs face, no, not hurt, dissappointment had made her want to cry. She missed her home in Resembool, the way everything was peaceful, her house full of laughing happy children. Her boys home and happy. How did everything turn out this way?

She turned her head at the sound of the door opening, she knew it was Alphonse. She heard him wipe his feet off and hang his dripping coat up before walking into the living room. He gave a small smile trying his best to be cheerful.

"Hows everyone doing?" Heinrich mumbled something that wasn't audible. Noah turned around and ran to him, he picked her up and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She didn't smile back though.

"When is Daddy coming home?" Al looked to Winry, neither of them knew the answer to that.

"Ah, actually I came by to tell you abou that."His smile grew a little warmer and Winry could tell Noah oned in on that, Heinrich hadn't moved from his watch at the window however.

"I just talked to him this morning, he says he will be finished by this week." He chuckled as Noah let out a loud "Yay!" She began to bounce in her uncles arms. It warmed Winry up to see her daughter happy like that.

"Don't hold your breath." She gave a stern look to her son,

"Heinrich . . ." He shrugged off her scolding tone. She let him be, hoping it hadn't affected Noah.

* * *

"Hows it coming along?" The Doctor looked at their Head Scientist, his blonde hair dirty and in the same clothes for a week. He had spectacles on that drooped low on his nose as he read notes left by one of the colleagues. She still wasn't allowed in on their project, not a colleague, just an underling. It made her downright furious on the right days.

"It's finished, I'm only rechecking all the formulas and base tests." She nodded, hopefully he'd leave the lab then. She was tired of seeing him there, his face too handsome among the crusty older men there. Not only was he a real asshole, his intelligence was a real turnon. It made her want to get to know him as a person and knew that wouldn't ever be. Not only was he a real dick to anyone not his colleague he was 'happily' married and with two or three children. She wanted to scoff at the fake reality, he'd never be happy wth anyone but his own kind. His own league.

My heart clenched as he turned to me whilst handing me a thick and battered folder.

"Run this up to Mechanics and give it to Auders." I was about to bow, greatful for his attention,

"And Caterland, don't stop anywhere inbetween." Despite his condescending tone I gave him my sweet smile and turned around to leave and do as I was for him was I this obedient.

* * *

Edward packed his station up and tidied what he left behind. He would stop by his quarters there and clean up before going home, he'd told his brother the end of the week but he would be three days early. A sort of surprise he supposed. He felt bad that he wasn't home often, guilty that Winry was always there by herself with their children. He just needed time to adjust, to heal he supposed. He'd found he could drown it all with work, forget about her through hard concentration. He hated himself for it, she deserved to be looked for. He just couldn't do it anymore. He hired several investigators to look into it, but they all would tell him the same thing, no traces she was probably dead.

He had a family that wasn't though. He nearly missed his newest daughter, Nina, coming into the world entirely. Had it not been for Elaina beating on his face and her driving him to the hospital he would have. He felt even worse then because she'd wanted children for years, not only did he have three (that he neglected now) she'd had one for a fleeting moment and she was now gone. It tore at his heart how cruel the universe was.

He sought his work for a sort of haven but truly couldn't have that here either. Work consumed him mostly but he wasn't ignorant to the woman that was placed in his station. Viranda Caterland was a problem. At the moment she wasn't something that couldn't be dealt with but he had a suspicious feeling that in time she would become something more serious. She had nearly caused Elaina and Roy to seperate, her being placed in this department as punishment couldn't have been a good sign. True Mustang hadn't placed her himself, only decreed she be put in the science building so should it become as bad as he'd let it then Mustang couldn't be entirely at fault.

Which was what the plan was for. To only say what needed to be said and to be a complete bastard for anything else. If he was on her shitlist she wouldn't try anything on him or so he hoped.

* * *

Heinrich heard the car before he saw it, which was amazing since they were in the city. He ran to the door and waited, could it really be him? It was only a day after Uncle Al had been by . . .no way could it be.

So why was he so excited?

"Rich hunny, what are you doing?" The door knob turned, he had no time to answer his mother. The door opened and he heard her gasp. He looked up and lo and behold.

"Daddy!" Noah came barrelling out of her room and nearly knocked him to the floor. They both were laughing so no hard feelings were felt. They'd both missed him so much. Ed was laughing as his two oldest children pounced him. He looked to Winry who smiled, she was holding Nina. Her husband was sporting a bit of stubble and looked nearly 10 years older. She shook her head.

Picking both hildren up he walked into the living room, kissing his wife on the way in. This made both his children 'ew' and laugh. Al came in from the kitche, a large smile on his face.

"Brother, early is good." He nodded before setting his children down and giving his brother a hug. He'd been rather rude to him the last time they had talked and felt like he needed to appologize. Al held him at arms length and gave him a stern look.

"Are you back?" It took a few seconds before Ed nodded,

"Yeah, I think so." They grinned at each other before Nina broke them up with her fussiness. Edward turned to his wife and held his arms out, he'd only held his daughter a handful of times. It only too this once to calm her, she knew her father. Winry smiled again, tears in her eyes.

"I'm glad, I was getting worried Edward Elric." He leaned and gave her another kiss.

"Me too." He gave her a look that told her he was sorry. She was glad he was back.

* * *

The evening rolled by and the Elric family was gathered at the dinner table.

"Elaina called Monday." Winry's voice soft, there was something in her eyes.

"Oh, everything ok?" Edward was helping Noah cut her meat up. When he didn't get an answer he looked up to see her crying.

"Winry?" She was laughing though,

"She was nearly screaming at me on the phone, Edward, she's pregnant." his face dropped.

"No kidding?" He smiled, a miracle. The doctors had told her she wouldn't be able to concieve.

"We'll have to do something to celebrate." Winry was laughing again trying to wipe the tears away.

"You should have heard her, she was so happy." She was shaking her head. The day turned out to be a pleasant one after all.

* * *

Ruby red locks were being tugged at, they grew in much curlier for some reason. Nothing like her sister's had been, more wavey curls then anything. She tried to smack away the pale nuisance.

"Let's shave it now." She gave a mean look to him.

"Let's not. Don't I look better with hair then with out?" He sighed and leaned agaisnt the wall with a roll of his brilliant lavender eyes. Her hair could almost touch her eyebrows if she smoothed them out. She ran her hand through her locks.

"Pretty soft too. . ." She saw this pique his interest, she had no time to dive out of the way as his hands swooped in and ruffled her hair like some maniac.

"Envy!" He laughed evilly as her hair stood at odd ends now. She turned around and dove for his, he blocked her easily. She gave him a pft sound and turned back to the mirror trying to fix her hair. He came and leaned against her back, his chin on her shoulder. Its something he'd started recently, being more 'affectionate' though he balanced it out with something painful like pulling the hell out of her hair. She looked at him through the mirror.

"Why do we stay here?" He nibbled at her neck, it reminded her of something and animal might do.

"Because." She sighed before he bit her harder, she wrenched away from his sharp teeth before he could break the skin.

"Can't we leave? Go somewhere else? I'm tired of 'here'." He had a strange look, she wasn't sure if he would hit her or something else.

"Where do we go then?" She opened her mouth before just turned to look him in the eyes.

"Serious?" She hadn't expected him to answer let alone be positive about it.

"I don't know, I'd say home but I don't have one of those anymore." She could tell he didn't like her words. He shrugged however.

"Me neither." She smiled, they were alike now. Two hateful creatures with no where to go. Restless in their skins and akin to violence.

"Well, lets get a map and randomly pick a place?" He rolled his eyes at her, it was a childish suggestion but she didn't think thats what the eye rollwas for.

"So you can 'randomly' pick Central and find a way to leave me?" She cocked her head.

"Why would I do that?" He looked at her as if she had grown another head. She took a few steps towards him.

"Seriously, look at me." She held her hands to emphasize.

"I'm ruined as far as human standards go. I won't fit in with anyone now. You are all I have now. You've made it that way." He didn't detect hate or anger in those words, not even sadness and it made him uneasy.

"You are still a human though, surely you wish for human company." She snorted and looked back to the mirror.

"I don't think of my as very human these days." Her voice was light, as she looked at the scars on her body.

"Besides, humans come and go. You can't get too close to them or it will only hurt you in the long run. They are there then they die. The end." He couldn't believe her new philosophy, what had he done?

"You are human. So you will come and go just the same." She shrugged.

"So why do you keep me around?" He gritted his teeth.

"Because my own hates me." She went still, was he talking about Elaina? She turned around, she remembered the tears she'd shed for him, the heartbroken tone she took when she spoke about him.

"No she doesnt. She just doesn't know how to fit you into her life is all." He balled his fists up.

"I'm not good enough. " His voice was so low now it was hard to hear, she came closer.

"It's not that at all Envy . . .You and her are similar but not the same. It makes things difficult." She knew they would never have a normal life, not with all the things he'd done. It wasn't possible. She knew that when he hid his face from her it was because he was close to a melt down, she reached out to him anyways knowing it was a very real possiblity he would injure her. Her fingers found the very edge of his space, barely touching his long thick black hair.

"I'm here though." He turned away from her.

"Yet you are not the same either. Hardley even similar." She scoffed.

"Gee, thanks. Jerk." She folded her arms, taking the 'hurt' route purposely. She knew how to work him. She knew she'd grown on him, she was a little more then just a pet now, something he was very fond of. So was the proof of this was the dress she was wearing. A tight fitting green one that didn't make it to her knees. It was very feminine, she was surprised when he'd thrown it at her. She was more surprised when she found out she could pull this sort of style off now.

He peeked at her from under his veil of shadow,

"You are probably just scheming to get away from me. Sounds more like you." That really did hurt then, she didn't understand why though. Maybe it was because she really did love him? Despite all the things he'd done to ruin her life she really cared.

"I wished you wouldn't treat me like that." He huffed.

"Who cares?"

"I do." Her voice was strict, her stance stocky. He looked at her straight then.

"Oh?" She nodded,

"Yeah, I happen to be the only friend you have. Though I can't say I'm the only one cares-"

"Because you don't of course." She huffed this time.

"No, because Elaina cares too. Though I don't know why I should, you treat me like shit. Is this how you treated Elaina?" Her question took him off guard, she hadn't meant to ask him something so personal. She felt that this talk about caring for him probably wasn't a good route either, he tended to get offensive when concerning love and caring. It mad eher wonder who'd hurt him to make him think so badly of care and love.

"She's different." Her heart twinged, what had that been?

"Ah, I see. So now it's me who isn't good enough." Her voice had sounded bitter, what was wrong with her? His eyes flashed dangerously as he looked to her. He suddnly stalked to her, it made her a little nervous, she'd never seen that look before. He stopped when he was right in front of her, reaching out to grab her jaw.

"No, you aren't. You won't ever be either. Only she will ever be good enough." His face didn't match the words however, it was that same strange look from before. That didn't stop her heart from hurting at them though, didn't stop that emotion from filling her eyes. He came closer, their noses touching.

"Get rid of that." He was dead serious.

"Get rid of what?" His grip was near painful now, she could see viens in his forehead, what was wrong with him?

"It'll destroy you . . " He whispered now, she could smell his scent now, it always heightened when soemthing was about to go down. It smelled sort of like a damp space and snakes. She looked into his eyes, they were lit up bright, slit. He truly looked inhuman and it scared her.

"I don't understand. . . " His fingers were digging into her jaw, she could barely even get those words out. What was he talking about?

"Envy! " She whined it, panicking, he would break her jaw if he didn't let up.

"Yes. . .exactly." He let go, looked around like he wasn't sure where he was. Envy? She walked towards him before flinging herself into Death's Cage. She wrapped her arms around him, his body cold.

"Tell me, tell me who hurt you like this. Tell me how you got this way, help me understand you better." Tears ran down her cheeks, no one should have to live like this, not even a creature from hell or where ever he came from. He started to shake,

"Get off me rat." She shook her head no.

"Stupid whore!" He didn't push her off nor did he embrace her back. She'd have a bruid on her face in the shape of his hand, she knew it and didn't care. It would leave, leave like the scars wouldn't.

"I'm not going to go anywhere, I'm here. She has Roy and you have me!" She hated herself, she told herself that everyday for the same reason. Loving him was terrible. She wanted him to cry but knew he couldn't in the form he was in. Least not literally. She'd told herself she wouldn't cry anymore but she was going to. He stiffened at the first sound of her sniffling.

"Ugh, why are you crying?" She held on tighter ready for his abuse.

"I'm not. . .you are." She felt his body harden like marble, that serpentine smell double. Then he softened again, and the first sign of him responding ocurred. He was trembling, trembling like a child who was crying. She look up at him, his face scrunched as his head was turned away so she wouldn't see despite that she could. She let go of him with one of her arms and placed her palm to the side of his head while she buried her face into his hair. She didn't expect him to lean into her, shaking like he was actually crying. His tears ran down her face, his sorrow expressed through them together, as one person. She felt something lift in her, this was the eve of something. A change in life again.

* * *

**Thank you to my reviewers!**

**Emerald Gaze, Thank you for reminding me that there are other characters in this story XD! I think you helped to bring me out of my block.  
Deathgal, Thank you too! I really appreciate the way you see Envy, it's pretty similar to my own view. To me you can't have a bad guy that just is, the bad guy got to be that way somehow. Thats a bit what I've tried to do with his character, maybe make it so that he isn't so much a 'bad person' but more a broken person that needs help doing right things as to oppose to wrong things.**


	20. The Days Too Short

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from FMA or from the creators of it.**

**A Heart Dressed in Wicked**

**Chapter 19.) The Days Too Short**

* * *

The first sight of people that wasn't Irving, took my breath away. A woman and her twins were crossing the street as our car waited on them. The rain made everything seem slippery, the thick clouds above casting a gray over cast. I was in the passenger side, in the front no less. Next to me was one of the most bizarre of sights yet, Envy driving. More so was that . . . he was _blonde_. A startling blonde that made me realize he looked a lot like someone I had known well, before. He'd also dropped the younger boy look and now appeared to be in his 20's, old enough that if anyone asked he could tell them we were related. We hadn't actually talked about that plan now that I'd thought of it.

He wore normal people clothes too, I wasn't sure which was the strangest, the fact he was so good at pretending to be a normal human or the fact that he'd let me pick the town. It was Bauvri, a little town just outside of Central. He hadn't even said anything, merely nodded and made Lust and Sloth pack things for us. Most of my books had been left behind and I had been surprised to see that I now owned a trunk of clothing whereas before I'd only had a few sets to switch out of.

Envy pulled up to a rather crumbly looking curb and parked before sitting there silently, unmoving. He was listening, for what though? He got out and walked up to the building, an old apartment building, before he disappeared inside. There was a front iron security door and from that, I couldn't see anything else. So I looked out my window, the rain coming to a slow stop. I looked at my thick maroon tights; I had to always wear tights or pants to cover my legs as well as long sleeved dresses or shirts when in the company or the possibility of people. I had a few scars on my hands and chest but those could be lied for. The neat swirls and crisscrosses and patterns would be difficult to explain.

Then again the chick scar on my hand could be too.

A tap sounded on the window and I looked to see the blonde 'stranger' gesturing for me to get out. I slowly got out of the passenger side, looking for cars and saw that there were none before walking around the black model and saw that he'd waited for me, keys in hand. I wasn't going to ask how he pulled this sort of thing off, I didn't _want _to know. He walked me up to the door, I felt like I was in some weird parallel universe where we'd met on normal circumstances and were close friends. I didn't think that even if that had happened we'd have been good friends, something tells me that had I met him as a normal man before how I was now I would have not liked him at all. He grabbed my hand subtly and slipped something on my left ring finger. A ring of course, he held the doors open for me and I tried not to look too shocked. I expected him to shove me or trip me, anything to balance out his sudden manners. Nothing of the sort happened, however.

The inside wasn't that bad, to the right was a hallway and to the left was a window with an older lady on the phone. Upon seeing me she hung up with a few goodbyes and with a smiling face she opened a wooden door and came from the hidden office. She was a very crisp woman with a dress suit nearly as bright as Envy's eyes.

"Ah, this must be the wife your sister told me about on the phone, Mr. Mantello." I could feel my blood freeze. Wife? I looked down quickly at the ring, was that right? Oh damn . . . I snuck a look up at him and saw he had a very simple and pleased look, not Envy at all. Mr. Mantello . . . where had I heard that last name before . . .?

"Medea this will be our landlady, Mrs. Sewel." She held her small wrinkled hand out and I saw that she had many rings on her fingers. Her nails were long and red too. I reached out slowly and took her hand, the contact with someone other than Envy was strange, foreign now.

"My, such a tiny little thing you are!" She chuckled like someone's grandmother and I looked up to Envy, his eyes elsewhere.

"Well I'll let you two get settled in, I live here on the first floor. If you dears need anything let me know." She gave a rather . . . fake smile and left back to her office, Envy wrapped his arm around my brown clad waist and showed me to the stairs. Once we were out of earshot I looked to him, something _him _flashed in those lavender eyes.

"Wife? Don't you think I'm a little young to be someone's wife?" He didn't make any expression until we were at the third floor, the last one. He walked me down the hallway, a man in his forties passed us and he was wearing a lab coat. I noticed that he looked more rugged then he probably was and perhaps he wasn't as old as I presumed. We stopped at a black door that looked like everyone else's door. He brought out the keys, selected one and unlocked the door before opening it and ushering me inside.

I had to say, for being such a mean son of a bitch, he certainly had great tastes in homely places. The floors were all wooden from what I could tell in the front room, windows on the far side were free of the green curtains and let in just enough light to really show the space. The apartment came with furniture, older looking things. I walked in further and saw the open doorway leading to the kitchen; it was cute to say the least, the theme in soft blues.

"The bedroom is there." his voice bringing me out of my trance as he pointed towards the opposite way, a closed door. I nodded and went to the windows at the far back and looked down upon the street and the park that lay just beyond it.

"As Mrs. Mantello, you are a 20 year old house wife that also loves to study at home." His voice was quiet as he too looked out at the park.

"Whose idea was the house wife?" He gave a nasty smirk and I felt better, not nearly as much as when he pulled the curtains mostly closed and changed back to the Envy I was comfortable with the most. I let out a breath of relief and he quirked an eyebrow at me.

"Sloth thought that the easiest thing to make up was spouse hood, apparently we already act like we are married." I rolled my eyes, yeah right. I bet Lust told Sloth to suggest it.

I walked towards the kitchen, flicked the light on there. It was pretty nice, full kitchen and a little round table. I realized something then.

"Er, Envy . . . do you know how to cook?" He was leaning against the threshold.

"Yeah, let me assume the body of a world class chef." He was joking, I could tell the sarcasm and it was thick in his voice. I laughed though, despite it.

"What the fuck would I need to know how to cook for?" He rolled his eyes, it had been pretty obvious I suppose. I smiled and looked at the cupboards, little tea cups hanging under them.

"Guess you should have made Irving the housewife 'cause I don't really know much either. . ." He growled and I saw him walk back into the living room.

"Of course you don't." I grinned at him,

"Too spoiled?" He scoffed and I could see him lying on the couch.

"Apparently so." He closed his eyes and stilled but I knew he wasn't sleeping. I opened one of the cabinets before pulling out a pretty glass cup. I filled it with water and watched it in the light.

"Envy?" He didn't move.

"How long will we stay here?" Still he didn't stir and as I took a sip I barely heard,

"As long as you want." That's when I remembered, remembered the name Mantello.

Elaina.

Elaina _Mantello_.

* * *

"Would you like another scone lovey?" I politely declined, the over sweetened tea nearly too much for me. I was at our landlady's apartment, Mrs. Sewel, who had had me over for tea for every afternoon since the day after we'd gotten our things in. She apparently didn't have many friends despite the fact there was plenty of women here at her building.

She also liked to gossip. A lot in fact, I knew more about the strangers in this building than I probably would have if I'd met them. Mrs. Sewel was just a lonely old woman I'd figured. Who just happened to be married . . .'also'. Mr. Sewel was a very quiet man who was in a wheelchair; he'd lost his legs from the Ishval war years and years ago and never got around to getting automail.

When that idea of his not getting automail had been explained to me, I couldn't help but to have thought of someone else, the fleeting memory of an old life passing in a swift way.

I finished my tea just as a curt knock was heard on her door and she smiled brightly before getting up in a rather rickety way to open it. I heard a giggle and strained hard not to roll my eyes, I knew who it was. Two pairs of shoes came into the room, the bright heels of Mrs. Sewel and the boots of _Mr. Mantello_. I did a mental eye roll instead, it was still very weird to think of him as a husband (whether or not it was pretend, in which it w_as_) or that I myself was to be his wife. I saw, too, that he'd come in with a brown package under his arm in a safe guard.

He stood with his darkened beige coat and his normal clothes, that frighteningly familiar blonde hair. His eyes were bright lavender still, a trait he'd kept despite that anything looking him in the face would be immediately attracted to. Those eyes were watching me and I stood up, brushing my brown dress off. It was time for me to go home. I actually had been waiting for him, always looking at the clock to see if it was the time he'd told me. It pained me to know that if I spent more than a few hours without him I got a feeling of home sickness. It was awful, to know that I somehow needed him rather than only just wanting to be around him. This was bad because he was gone every day for hours at a time, a job he'd told me to tell Mrs. Sewel. What job? I had told her he worked with people and she'd made the assumption of social workings. I'd tried hard to keep in a snort of cynical laughter to that.

He nodded towards the door and I looked to Mrs. Sewel before gesturing towards the table.

"Thank you for having me." She waved it off,

"Oh of course dear, come by anytime! I love having you over." She gave me a bright smile and I knew she meant it. Being lonely while surrounded by people was a terrible feeling, I knew it very well. We said our goodbyes and Envy walked me to the door with his arm around my waist it was one of the weirdest feelings in the world. When her door closed and left us alone in the hallway I finally began to relax. He and I walked the path to our apartment on the upper level almost in silence until I opened my mouth.

"So where _do_ you go all day?" I actually saw him tense up. That wasn't good. No, I decided, this wasn't good at all. I bit my lip and looked up at his foreign face, a face I couldn't wait for to leave. Our door came and then the living room, I felt like I was on some sort of carnival ride and was waiting for the climactic moment.

"Around . . ." I sighed, typical answer. Purple flash of light and I relaxed the rest of the way, black hair on fair skin and a catty look. He handed me the brown package he'd carried up with him and I took it rather wearily. I looked at it for a few moments and he scoffed,

"Practicing your mind powers?" I looked up and grinned at him before I tore the wrappings off, lo and behold, a book.

"It's a . . . recipe book?" He nodded and I was surprised to see pride in his face.

"If you can memorize alchemic formula's you can cook. It's the same shit basically." I did laugh then, cooking and science. Interesting that he'd put those together. It was a thick and rather old book and I'd wondered where he'd gotten it. I flipped through it to see, much to my further amazement, that someone had made little notes in the margins and empty places of the pages.

"There are notes? It's a very used book." He stepped over to me and I waited for him to hit me for my comment but he didn't. Instead he grabbed the cover of the book and flipped the pages back so I could see the inside of the front page.

_To Dee,  
This 'helped' me when I was on the house wife kick.  
You are much more domesticated then I ever was, (surprise surprise) __  
__and as a mini genius this will be a snatch, you may even become a legendary chef._

_Love, Elaina._

_PS: Roy still pretends my food tastes ok; I know he is a liar._

My mouth was open and I felt hotness in my eyes and a pang in my chest. I wasn't sure what I was feeling, was it that I missed her? Or hope now that I was somehow in contact with her? Or angry that she knew I was alive, who I was with and possibly where I was, and if that much, then if she'd always known? I gripped the now closed book; a small patter brought my attention to the damn thing however. A single droplet, a single tear, lay like an affront on the cover. I quickly wiped the traces from my face had there been any.

"You've been seeing her, right? That's where you go all the time?" Just like that, all the previous feelings were gone and a new one was there to take over. Something dangerous that I'd felt before. Envy turned away from me, and angry look on his face.

"Fix that." I threw him a dirty look, how dare he pull that? Completely blow me off like that.

"Fix what?" He folded his arms and ignored me. I walked to the kitchen and put the book on the counter before leaning against it.

"Maybe I want to see her too?" Lavender eyes found mine, or rather the one, and I gave him a gentler look. He came in to lean against the threshold.

"Maybe." Maybe? What did that mean? I hated when he got cryptic, it was always the same story. My heart soared with hope and then he crashed it real good. I grabbed a note pad that had been lying on the counter next to me, a pen lying across it in a rather immaculate manner. I picked the book up and leafed through it, I'd need to go shopping, or send 'Mr. Mantello' if I wasn't allowed to go out yet.

"She wants to visit." His voice had been subtle, something behind the soft tone. I looked to him only to find that he was looking out the window, something strange in his eyes. Something was going on.

"Can she?" I held my breath as he slowly 'returned' to me; he looked down my dress to my now bare feet and back to my face.

"Maybe." I sighed and rolled my eyes, of course. I looked back to my 'new' book and continued to leaf through for something that looked yummy. I suddenly wished for Irving, he'd love to teach me how to cook.

"She's . . . expecting . . . ugh."

* * *

She froze and it was almost like she was literally frozen in time. Color drained from her face and a slow breath slithered from her lips. She turned just slightly to see bewilderment on Envy's face.

"Ex-expecting? Like . . . a baby?" He rolled his eyes and nodded, calming down once he realized she wasn't falling ill suddenly.

"Gross, I know." She shook her head and suddenly brightness was in her eye.

"Oh wow . . . a real baby!" She put her hands to her face and laughed, he gave her the previous look back and she grinned before it fell and she gave him a pleading look much to his befuddlement.

"You gotta let her visit, oh please, oh please, oh please!" His eyes widened a bit and held his arms up as if to deflect her energy.

"It's hardly up to me anymore, calm down." He looked ready to jump out the window, especially as she gave him a mean and yet somehow disbelieving look.

"What do you mean? The world turning on its axis is up to you, how the hell could this not be?" The kitchen was silent as Envy took in her words, her 'joke' spreading over his face for a moment as a bit of humor leaked into his bright eyes.

"It's all about being able to get around without the state seeing. If she can get out without being tagged or followed . . . then it's possible. If not, I don't want her around messing up what I've created." He sounded snooty, like he had bred a prize show animal and he didn't want a mutt in to ruin his line. She pouted and put her hands on her hips.

"And here I thought you were all wonderful and crazy powerful." She rolled her eyes as he scowled at her.

"I am but even gods can't control everything." She snorted at his reference and turned back to the book and her list making.

"You should make it so that she can come over for dinner. That way I won't have to put away left overs." He huffed and left the room, leaving his hen with a small smile on her face.


	21. Who is Hungry?

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from FMA or from the creators of it.**

**A Heart Dressed in Wicked**

**Chapter 20.) Who is Hungry?**

* * *

I was so nervous I could barely contain what little I had in my stomach. I was outside, sitting on a bench, in a park . . . a real legit park. There were children running around and playing, it was a nice sunny day and a cool breeze was passing through. They were laughing and the smiles were all very sweet for me to see.

Though I wasn't alone in that sense, neither was I in the sense of enjoying myself personally all on my own. My 'husband' sat next to me, foreign blonde hair shining in the sun, skin just a shade off of farmer's tan and a pair of lovely lavender eyes. I was grateful for this much more then was necessary as he had made a habit of 'wearing' golden in those orbs, a gold that made me quite hindered to look at. I peeked at his still form from the corner of my eye, his light brown over coat a bit too much in the sun.

"Envy, take your coat off, it'll look weird out here." He slowly turned his head to look at me and I held my breath before teasing him with a smile. He leaned forward before shrugging off his coat and, surprisingly, draping it over my lap. I'd worn a long green dress that stopped just at my ankles and barely had any sleeves. I'd brought a dark brown shawl with me to cover my shoulders and arms. The sleeve of his coat slid and half the coat with it, efficiently covering my legs now too. He leaned back and I saw he was wearing a white shirt, the black suspenders pressing it against his shoulders, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He put one of his arms on the back of the bench and now we really did look like a couple that came to spend some time outside.

"Is she going to be here soon?" I peeked again to see a small dimple grace his face, annoyance? He rolled those eyes and turned to face me,

"She said noon, it's not even eleven yet, settle down." I wanted to laugh, the way he talked one would think I was bouncing in my seat.

A ball came flying out of nowhere, red and round and . . . suspended in the air by an irritated Neid. He had caught it and had he not it probably would have hit him. I wondered what he would do and I realized so did the boys that had been playing with it, white faced, wide eyed and hands to mouths. I gently took the ball from Envy and tossed it to them.

"Thank you ma'am!"

"Sorry!" I nodded to their politeness before grinning at a not so pleased Envy. He looked to me,

"You should have just let me burst the damn thing." I snorted and shook my head, I was glad I took it away from him.

"That would have broken their poor little hearts." I stiffened at the familiar wing of a voice before the urge to jump up and toss myself at her was crushed down. No, I stood up slowly, politely and turned around just as such. Envy followed, grouchy written on his face.

Elaina was every bit as beautiful as I remembered her as. She was wearing a dark purple empire waist gown; her belly was showing that roundness pregnant women did. Her hair was still long and black and hopeless jealousy ran through me, I wanted hair like hers. Mine barely came to my shoulders, barely.

"Oh . . . Medea . . ." Sadness coursed through her body and she came around the bench to take me into her arms, I resisted a bit though and I could see that Envy was stiff. Perhaps it was pity instead? I let her take me into her arms finally, I was much taller than before and I came well up to her face now, I was able to rest my chin on her shoulder but hugging her was awkward due to the largeness of her belly and perhaps the lack of physical affection. I gave a smile and a small bump pressed quickly against me from her and she laughed.

"Uh oh, looks like its show off time." I let a few fake laughs slip and looked to Envy; Elaina put my hand to where the baby was kicking madly. I couldn't help grin at the life in there and turned to Envy who was watching with a strange sense about him. I held my hand out,

"Come here and feel this, it's crazy." He stiffened more and I felt Elaina brush passed me and make her way to him. He leaned away as she grabbed his hand and placed on her tummy, he shivered and I couldn't help but grin, it didn't last long as I caught that look that passed between them . . .it wasn't a good look, it was the sort that was the gate to a secret. What sort of secret?

"So how have you been?" Envy gestured to the apartment building as I asked Elaina; she took my arm and allowed Envy to walk ahead of us, opening the door and holding it for us.

"Good, since the baby, things have really settled down a bit." I bit my lip, wanting to say something but familiar canary yellow filled my vision,

"Oh, hello Dears!" Olden eyes passed over my form, Envy's and then slowly onto the pregnant form of Elaina.

"And you are?" A pale hand came flying out, Elaina smiled brilliantly.

"Lieutenant Elaina Mantello." Strangeness passed over her eyes as she gathered that name.

"Ah, you are in the military? How wondrous . . ." She seemed to look between Envy and Elaina for a moment,

"You must be the sister I talked to on the phone a few months back, yes?" I stilled, they had talked? Elaina nodded her smile brilliant and beautiful.

"I must say, you two don't look a thing alike, how queer." I opened my mouth suddenly,

"My husband was adopted when he was very young." Three pairs of eyes fled to me and I felt a bit pressured and hoped they hadn't told her something different. Elaina was watching me with a strange fascination. Mrs. Sewel nodded, taking that in.

"Oh, that makes a lot of sense." She eyed Elaina's rounded belly and a bit of color rose to her face.

"Carry on! I didn't mean to interrupt, it seems poor Medea never receives company other than little old me." She laughed with a small tinkle and I could see in her form that she was putting things together somehow. Did she have other information that didn't coincide? Envy herded us over to the stairs and we made the trip up to the apartment.

"Man, for an old war town this place is real nice." Her lavender eyes were all over the walls and as Envy led us in she seemed to really like what she saw. She gave a nod before squinting as 'Neid' went around closing the curtains. He turned on some lamps and with a flash of eerie, he was old familiar Envy again. He flopped into a chair and looked away from us, something on his mind.

Warm hands were holding mine and I turned to look into the eyes of a woman whom once found me much like her own child.

"How have you been? Envy tells me one thing but I never really know when he is messing with me or not." She grinned at his direction, he wasn't paying attention. I knew when he was; I always knew when he was playing around or when he was serious. I gave her hands a nice squeeze and pulled away.

"What has he told you?" I could only imagine, she raised a brow at me though.

"Bland things like you are fine and cared for." She gave him another look, this time something like disbelief. I looked to him too; he was off in his own world, eyes glassy and a fist propping his chin up.

"Well, that's mostly right." I took my shawl off and threw it on a free chair before removing my tights and rolling them up. I unbuttoned my dress and was making my way to the bedroom in only my knee high slip when the air went strange.

"Oh. My. Gods." I stilled and turned, Elaina was wide eyed and white, looking at my now bare legs and arms.

My artsy scarred up legs and arms.

"What is this?" Envy was looking at Elaina with a 'half way there' look before he stood up.

"I made her unique. Get over it." Her hands were clenched and all I could do was stand like an idiot and drop my clothing as she reached over and slapped him.

Slapped Envy in the face.

It rang loudly in the apartment.

"How could you? How could you torture a child like that? What else did you do to her? You are responsible for that look in her eyes, aren't you?" She was breathing hard and tears were streaming down her face. How had this gone so bad so quickly?

I made to move closer to Envy but i ended up at a safe distance equal to them both. His face was a mask, no emotion and he only stared at her.

"I never thought that . . . I thought that maybe you would get better, oh gods, I'm responsible. If they find out . . . oh gods." She put her hands up to her face and I could somehow smell her tears.

"Who wants to tell me what the hell is going on?" My voice came out breathy somehow; I was missing something in this story. The Stone Man slowly turned his head to look at me with cold eyes.

"Pack what you want, you will leave with Elaina." My heart stopped, she looked up and my vision was starting to grow weak around the edges.

"What?" I took a step backwards; all I could see now was his lavender eyes.

"You are getting rid of me?" I was shaking, I could feel it.

"Honey, don't you think you'd be happier with me? Me and Roy and Ed?" I couldn't breathe, I found myself on the floor, gasping for air that wasn't coming. My chest hurt so badly and my heart was beating too fast.

"Medea!" She came to me and I turned away with a hateful look.

"You . . . can't!" I grabbed at my chest.

"I'm not going anywhere!" He looked away from me; I could see the veins in his hands swelling a little. Elaina was so confused and I didn't care. I had made them all dead, all of them were supposed to be someone else's life. Why did I want her to come see me in the first place? Anger filled my chest,

"You dickface! Look at me!" I felt so angry I could barely think right, Envy turned a little but not much.

"What did I tell you before? At the house, that we were the same and I wasn't leaving you, yes?" My breathing was erratic now, too much air. Elaina was looking at me bizarrely. Envy turned fully, eyes blurred in a way I couldn't quite tell what it was.

"You don't have to anymore. You aren't a monster, leave with Elaina. Be . . . happy." I shook my head and Elaina helped me up. I stepped away from her and straight to him before grabbing a chunk of his hair. He gave me a wide eyed look as I pulled on it, he didn't move though.

"But I want to stay here. I want to be with you Envy. I'm happy with you. We fight a lot and we tend to nitpick the hell out of each other and that's ok. You know I love you more than anything, don't make me unhappy by throwing me away." I couldn't look at Elaina, not with the way she was looking at me, like a devil and sprung up in my place and was killing babies.

There was a fresh, warm look about Envy; a pale hand came out to tough the knuckles of the fist holding his hair. That turned into running up my wrist and down my arm and over the bend and onto my shoulder. He gripped there and I let go of his hair as he leaned in, what was he doing?

* * *

A small and very simple kiss was placed on her lips, his own cold and yet somehow warm at the same time. Elaina gasped and Medea leaned the rest of the way, resting against his chest as he looked away, their kiss having been short.

"This, this is something else. . ." Medea turned in Envy's arms to glare.

"It sure is. It was also something else of me to want you to visit." She pulled out of Envy's arms but to his silent protest.

"The Medea you once knew no longer exists," She held up her arm to show off the small scar on her hand of the chick, "I'm Envy's Hen, I don't actually know what that means but . . . you get the idea." She nodded politely at Elaina to end her sentence, the somehow once stricken moment turning a bit comical.

Suddenly Medea threw herself at Elaina, both darkened party's stiffened. Medea was hugging Elaina with all her might the baby bump long forgotten.

"I needed you a long time ago; don't tell me anything about anyone else though, alright?" She pulled away and ran a hand over her slip, Elaina speechless.

"Who is hungry?"


	22. What Am I to Do?

It was a

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from FMA or from the creators of it.**

**A Heart Dressed in Wicked**

**Chapter 21) What Am I to Do?**

* * *

lmost autumn time and Bauvri was a really nice place this time of year, or so Winry had told Edward when she needed some things for supper. Ed sighed at the recent making of that memory, no wrench needed; he wanted a reason to get out of the house. He loved his wife and he loved his three children. With Al and Lidia the apartment was entirely too crowded for him and he felt that the market would at least tip his wanderlust a little.

He moved through the small sea of people, a light breeze coming through as he found himself looking at tomatoes.

He picked a few without really looking or caring and carried on to some cabbage, he applied the same tactic to this and moved on to corn. Woe was Winry should she find something less than agreeable.

Someone brushed passed him, hair redder then blood and in a place like this very noticeable. It was a woman, curvy and from what he could tell without actually seeing her face, pretty. She wore a light green lacey sun dress, which was entirely typical for such warm weather.

What wasn't . . . were the thick maroon tights and the heavy shawl around her shoulders that masked her arms. It was too hot for such wear and he found his interest peaked as she bustled past, a basket of various veggies.

She took off for a different vender and without thinking he went after her, trailing behind her and watching, waiting for her to turn around. She never quite looked back but he could see that bracing of her nose, full lips and high cheek bones. She looked so familiar he could almost taste what it was.

Someone he knew presumably. She was familiar in a way that agitated him into stalking. He followed her to an aisle of herb vendors and he dully noted sage and thyme as things she picked out, for cooking obviously. He felt like getting her attention, saying something, maybe she would recognize him instead?

Too late, he got to close and she looked up, large round eyes looking at him. She had one eye a glassy pale blue, blind, and the other a beautiful sun of golden hazel.

He froze and she seemed to just stare back, the world seemed to slow down and time itself seemed to stop.

"Medea?" She dropped her basket and turned, promptly running away. He opened his mouth but ran after her,

"Medea! Wait!" She was fast, going through the mass of bodies easily. He found himself out of line of sight and stopped to look around. She was nowhere in sight. He'd lost her. He turned around, excited at his find, and went home without the rest of the list of groceries to get.

* * *

The dinner table was a roaring mess, two children arguing and a baby crying as her stressed mother tried to coax her into eating. Two brothers and a sister less sister sat there at the table as well, Al was trying to engage Lidia in a conversation over the loud children, Edward the only quiet man there. Only in his head he wasn't so quiet.

He hadn't told anyone about what he'd seen at the market. No one knew yet whom he'd seen, it was a major breakthrough. She was alive! Also, she looked very well, it was wonderful.

"Edward!" The table was quiet as the father of the bunch came back to them, blinking slowly and looking at him wife.

"You've been staring at your mashed potatoes for 15 minutes, something wrong?" He let out a sigh; a breath he hadn't known had accumulated in his chest. He shook his head no, much to the let out accompaniment had wanted.

He gave Al a look, he would tell Al first.

"No, everything is fine. Excuse me though." Ed rose with his plate and raked off the food before placing it in the sink and leaving to sit in the living room to think better.

A few minutes later Al came to join him, sitting next to him on the loveseat.

"Brother, what's on your mind?" Edward looked up with excitement much to Al's amazement, he hadn't seen so much life in him in a long while.

"At the market today . . . I saw someone." Al rolled his eyes.

"Yes, there are a lot of people at a market . . ." Edward shook his head before leaning in,

"I don't want to tell Winry yet . . . but I saw Medea." Al's breath hitched and a frown came upon his face.

"Maybe it was just someone who looked like her?" He shook his head,

"No, she doesn't look anything like she used to, she is all grown mostly and . . ." He too gave a frown then, "one of her eyes was blind. . ." Al leaned away, getting a good look at his brother.

"No, hear me out! I called her by name, she recognized it! It was her, she knew me, Al, and it was her." He was completely sincere of course and Al had to take in that his brother was hurting still. He gave a sigh and nodded,

"Alright, I believe you. However, I don't think it's wise to let Winry in on it. . ." Edward shook his head,

"I have to tell her, she will be so happy. I was right all along! She is alive and well." He stood up and straightened his clothes before leaving elsewhere.

* * *

"Edward, calm down. It can't possibly be her; you heard what several heads have said. There isn't a single trace of her; she had to have died at Resembool. Why must you keep torturing everyone?" She had tears in her eyes; they were alone in their room. Edward gave her an angry look. But she was hurting too, a ghost of a person who had been gone for almost four years was still tearing them apart.

"It was her, Winry, I know it was. She knew me, I still don't know why she ran but that's beside the point-"

"Get out Edward Elric. Just go. Go chase your fantasies and don't come back." The room was silent as Ed took in those words; they bit into him like cold swords.

"You don't mean it . . .?" She turned away and got into bed before ignoring him. He gave her a hurt look before putting his shirt back on,

"You'll see, then how guilty will you be for not believing in me . . .?" He left her there, the door open, and his children sleeping in the room next to them.

* * *

I paced in the kitchen frantically; I'd messed up without ever knowing I could.

He had seen me; he knew I was alive . . . now what?

Had he looked hard before? I always knew he would look, but I never really knew how long he would. How long it would take for him to forget and deem me dead, it wasn't relevant. Envy wasn't here, he had left this morning and I wondered what to say if anything.

I didn't want to leave here. I really liked it, it was a new home sort of place for me. I ran my finger through my hair, it was able to lay on my shoulders now, it was growing incredibly fast.

I leaned against the cabinet; I couldn't keep on topic here. Would he tell everyone? Would he go to the military?

This made me think of Elaina; maybe she would stop him if he got that far.

Who knew, maybe he decided it wasn't me after all, I did look a lot different than the last time he'd seen me. . .

* * *

Most trains of memory are pleasant and though this one was, it also wasn't.

Edward was alone once again on a mission that only he could seemingly find important.

His red traveler's coat was not with him, he sat in the passenger car in only boots, slacks, and an old shirt with the sleeves rolled up. It's all he needed to get to Central.

Yet, he was in trouble. His heart ached for his family he was leaving behind; the wife that kicked him out was troubled as well . . . how well could she take care of their children like that?

He was glad Al was there, Lidia too though she wasn't much for help.

He could see Central's station just ahead and a lurch in his stomach happened, what was he to say to Mustang?

Both his best friend and brother, Al, and his loving wife Winry, had reacted badly. Would Roy do the same? What of Elaina? She was pregnant; did she really need this sort of stress?

He worried his lip as he got off the train and headed for the base.

* * *

**Note: It's sad to say that I just want to finish this, sorry that these are so poor.**


End file.
